Published: Tuesday, 20th October 2026
With the future provision of healthcare services at the planned new Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King’s Lynn currently under consideration, residents are encouraged to take part in a short survey
Healthwatch Norfolk, the independent voice for patients, service users and carers in our county, is working with the NHS Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group to gather public views on how services should be delivered by the three hospitals in the Group, including at the QEH.
Feedback from this initial stage of engagement will help inform the group’s new Clinical Strategy, which will consider how healthcare services in the future can be developed and delivered over the next 10 to 20 years.
The Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk is not responsible for the QEH. However given its importance to the community, the council is seeking formal reassurances from the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group that the QEH will continue to function as a comprehensive District General Hospital, with the full package of services required to meet the healthcare needs of West Norfolk and wider communities.
The council is also supporting Healthwatch Norfolk to encourage as many residents as possible to complete the questionnaire and have an early say in the process. The NHS says the questionnaire is not a consultation on proposals to change any services. If proposals for major changes are developed in the future, the NHS says there will be further opportunities for residents to have their say before decisions are made.
Cllr Alistair Beales, the Council Leader, said: “The QEH is so vital to the lives of residents across West Norfolk, and as local healthcare services are under consideration by the NHS currently, it’s really important that we all make the time to complete the survey and share our views early on in this process.
“The borough council’s clear position is we welcome the Government’s confirmation that a new District General Hospital will be built in King’s Lynn, and QEH’s commitment that King’s Lynn will continue to have a District General Hospital providing core services, with Accident & Emergency and maternity services remaining locally available.
“However, maintaining a genuine District General Hospital requires more than retaining A&E and maternity. These services depend upon the critical mass of supporting acute services necessary to operate a safe and effective emergency hospital.
“I encourage all residents to take a moment to feed into this process. Your answers will be shared with the senior doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals developing the plan for NHS services across Norfolk and Waveney going forward, as well as patient and community representatives.”
Complete the survey today
If you have extra feedback you’d like to give, or would prefer to do this survey over the phone, please call Healthwatch Norfolk on 0808 168 9669 to arrange a time to ring you back to complete the survey. You can also email enquiries@healthwatchnorfolk.co.uk to receive the survey in alternative formats, including Easy Read and large print.
Having completed the survey, some people have reported that they felt it didn’t allow them to give the depth and breadth of feedback that they wanted to express. So, for those that wish to, more detailed feedback can be given using the e-mail address as follows: enquiries@healthwatchnorfolk.co.uk
The closing date of the survey is Friday 6 November 2026.