Basingstoke hospital: £900m 'ring-fenced' for new facility

At the meeting held on Thursday, July 6 at Rooksdown Community Centre it was confirmed that £900m has been 'ring fenced' for the new Basingstoke Hospital, which is due to open in 2032.

This comes after the Gazette previously reported that funding of £800m was awarded to build the new hospital.

News of the new hospital has caused fears for people in Winchester, with some worried that the Basingstoke hospital will lead to the closure of the emergency department at Royal Hampshire County Hospital.

As previously reported, an online petition aiming to keep the emergency department open has achieved more than 10,000 signatures.

A number of residents and councillors quizzed the panel about a number of issues, namely the location of the new hospital, and whether it will be built on its existing site or the proposed ground at Junction 7 of M3.

Residents suggested the building of the hospital should be at the Manydown development, which had been considered as a potential site earlier in the planning process.

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There was an emphasis from those on the panel about integrating healthcare across Basingstoke, in an effort to improve care in both new hospitals and GP surgeries in the region.

The project is set to progress to the next stage which is a public consultation, due in the Autumn. Plans have been drawn up throughout the past few years by an organisation called ‘Hampshire Together’, which is a group of stakeholders led by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB.

A number of residents and councillors attended the community chat (Image: Newsquest staff)

Chief executive of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Alex Whitfield joined Maria on the panel, as did Dr Dominic Kelly, managing director of Hampshire and IOW Integrated Care Board, Sara Tiller, and GP Charlotte Hutching.

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Ms Miller said: "This well-attended community chat allowed residents to ask representatives from the Hospital, the Integrated Care Board and clinical staff for an update on the plans for our new hospital.  

"Basingstoke’s new hospital is set to open its doors in under ten years’ time and will be the biggest healthcare investment in our town’s history. It is imperative that we get the plans right so we can secure world-class healthcare for generations to come. 

"Years of work have already gone into this project, and it was clear from the panellists that everyone involved is raring to go. I will be holding regular meetings in the build-up to the autumn public consultation to ensure residents are kept up to date every step of the way.’’