Hospital rebuild site to be confirmed in May

A preferred site for the new Frimley Park Hospital is set to be announced in May, councillors have been told.

The existing site has been found to be made of two thirds crumbling concrete, known as Raac.

The government confirmed its rebuild would go ahead following a review of the previous government's new hospitals programme in January, which promised 40 new hospitals by 2030.

Frimley Park in Surrey Heath was one of six that Health Secretary Wes Streeting said would "need to proceed at pace" and placed in wave one of the government rollout.

The new hospital has been given £2bn, with work scheduled to begin between 2028 and 2029.

Bracknell Forest councillors were told on Wednesday the preferred site for the new hospital was expected to be announced in May, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Councillor Caroline Egglestone, who sits on the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny commission for the project, told full council that construction could begin as soon as the trust was ready.

NHS Frimley has been working with architects and health planners, construction consultants, energy specialists, transport planners and environmental advisors to select a preferred site.

While this work continues the trust is carrying out a "robust programme of remedial works" to the existing building.

The Trust says this work "will remain a priority" until the new hospital opens.

Egglestone also updated colleagues on a new extension to the hospital, set to have a phased opening from April.

The 76-inpatient beds will provide "much needed additional capacity" and will help the trust managed the increased demand experienced in recent years, she said.

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