Director in charge of new Harlow hospital project moves on
Health / Mon 23rd Mar 2026 at 12:07pm
THE FUTURE of plans for not only a new hospital for Harlow but also their “Plan B” to improve existing hospital facilities may have been put into doubt with the news that their new hospital programme director has quit.
Martin John was headhunted after he led the programme to bring the UK Health Security Agency Science Hub to Harlow.
In 2024, he was recruited by the Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust (PAHT) to spearhead the plans for a multi million pound new hospital off Junction 7a of the M11.
However, over the past year, plans and priorities appear to have changed with PAHT with the focus seeming to be towards improving present estates.
Mr John has now joined the Norfolk & Waveney University Hospitals Group as Strategic Programme Director, and will lead the development and delivery of the Group’s integrated New Hospitals Programme.
A spokesperson said: “Martin brings his experience to the Group’s New Hospital Programme and will lead the delivery of the new hospital schemes for James Paget University Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn”.
But where does this leave us in Harlow?
There was no announcement in Harlow that Mr John was leaving. The chief executive of PAH, Thom Lafferty spoke to the voluntary sector on Friday and there was no mention of Mr John’s departure then.
When we spoke to Mr Lafferty on Monday and asked if Mr John was going to be replaced, he said:
“If we can get full support for our new approach, we will need another Programme Director.
“For the time being, it is being held by staff in our Estates team”
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Boris
2026-03-23 13:35:52
Martin John was headhunted after he led the programme to bring the UK Health Security Agency Science Hub to Harlow. Well that was a great success!
Jill Robinson
2026-03-23 13:47:53
Wonder how many years and how much money has been paid out to staff to develop plans for Harlows future non existent hospital. Transparency!
David Forman
2026-03-23 14:18:44
The NHS senior managers' appointment scheme is in fact Britain's best recycling scheme. Meanwhile, those at the coalface face pay cuts, reduced terms & conditions and outsourcing. The NHS is top heavy with managers who fail to deliver. A good case in point are the directors at PAH who delivered the Community Diagnostic Centre over a year late. Perhaps an explanation should be forthcoming on why they failed to order the new electrical distribution circuit to power the scanners at the earliest opportunity?
Stuart J
2026-03-23 14:45:04
No need to panic. The new hospital is still at least 4 years and a General Election away, before it even commences being built. It has already been delayed by 2 successive Governments and the final position has yet to be agreed.
Me, Harlow
2026-03-23 16:17:18
No wonder this country is trash. We don't even have the skill or ability to build a new hospital anymore. When you see other countries do this just fine, quickly, no faffing and not millions over budget. Building a few new hospitals around the UK shouldn't be so difficult. Shame on the UK.
Adam
2026-03-24 08:52:34
Always the same with the public sector stay a few years in role then move on somewhere else rather than having to deliver. It is one giant merry go round for the connected, mean while the UK enters its 5 th decade of managed decline. they love power points and focus groups, just not actually F**king delivering anything.
Guy Flegman
2026-03-24 16:23:32
When is it my turn. It seems half the country has had this job at some point
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