This month, the NHP has brought together key stakeholders from across the NHS and industry to explore what the New Hospital Programme means for patients, staff and the health service. The event showcased how cutting-edge technology will shape the design, delivery and operation of the next generation of hospitals, setting a strong foundation for innovation across the programme.

The event also marked the official launch of the NHP Academy — a central pillar in NHP’s long-term commitment to building capability, strengthening delivery expertise and leaving a legacy of skills across the health and construction sectors.

Designed to support NHS Trusts, the wider NHS workforce and the programme’s supply chain, the Academy will equip teams with the capability needed to deliver complex, transformational infrastructure. It will also create enduring social and economic value by opening pathways for career development, employment, and pre-employment opportunities for years to come.

In a significant step forward, NHP has partnered with CITB to achieve NSAfC accreditation, reinforcing its commitment to raising industry standards and supporting sustainable growth across the sector. This collaboration will help close critical skills gaps, boost supply chain capacity, and provide consistent opportunities for high-quality training nationwide.

Emma Whigham, Hospital 2.0 Alliance Director, NHP, said: 'NHP offers a significant opportunity to the supply chain with a huge 15-year pipeline of work. Therefore, now is the optimal time for businesses to increase capacity and capability within their organisations by investing in their workforce. Through working collaboratively with the CITB to develop plans and facilitate the provision of high-quality employment and training opportunities to address current and future skills gaps, the NHP Alliance will support key sectors to build supply chain capacity, resilience and drive growth.'

Gemma Davies, Workforce and Capability Director, NHP, said: 'By working together with our Hospital 2.0 Alliance Partners and the CITB and applying the NSAfC framework to our Wave 1 schemes, we aim to ensure the programme develops and delivers the highly skilled, inclusive workforce that is required to build hospitals now and for the future. Our partnership with the CITB will help us to get the right skills on site to the right people at the right time, wherever they are needed to support NHP. This includes everyone – from tradespeople, to those with technical skills and professionals – as well as both new recruits and experienced workers.'

Anthony Frayne, CITB Customer Engagement Manager, said: 'We are delighted to sign this agreement with the NHS England – New Hospital Programme, underlining their commitment to embedding the NSAfC Framework across all projects. There is no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to social value – the NSAfC Framework has been created by industry for industry. CITB developed it together with the construction sector to improve productivity, promote skills and create high-performing workplaces that can develop and harness talent. The Framework enables the NHS England – New Hospital Programme to work with a trusted partner, with CITB’s regional teams on hand every step of the way to support the social value skills outcomes of projects across the country.'

With the NHP Academy now launched the programme continues to build the foundations for a modern, skilled workforce capable of delivering world-class hospitals for the future.