A £50m hospital is to be built on the site of West Middlesex University Hospital, the first of the second wave of health service private finance initiative projects. A contract has been signed between the trust and the Bouygues Consortium for the rebuild, which is due to be completed in 2003. Construction will begin shortly on a new building, with older buildings on the site being demolished and some newer blocks being refurbished. The project will allow for a small increase in bed numbers from the current 418, but with the potential to increase numbers to over 500 if the national beds inquiry requires it.