Troubled rebuild of Stockholm’s landmark hospital has cost twice as much as planned

An ambitious project to establish one of the most advanced and specialised hospitals in Europe has cost twice as much as planned and remains unfinished because of financial and operational problems.

The New Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, is now described as the most expensive hospital ever built. Current costs stand at Kr22.8bn (£1.91bn; €2.19bn; $2.67bn), and by 2040 the entire project is estimated to cost Swedish taxpayers Kr61.4bn.

The political debate about hugely over-running costs and operational problems at the hospital is intensifying ahead of Sweden’s national elections.

As well as moving the Karolinska’s location to new buildings, the project is designed to create a more patient oriented organisation. Karolinska has been using so called value based healthcare since 2014, under the highly criticised “patient first” …