New hospital plans could be delayed again until 2035

Information published by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) shows that the opening of a new hospital may not happen for another 11 years, the Basingstoke Gazette reports. 

The date, published in hospital meeting papers showing the next steps for the new hospital programme, states that the refurbishment, construction and opening of the new hospital will be between 2030 and 2035.

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If it is delayed until 2035 this would mean a further five-year wait on the original promise to rebuild the hospital by 2030. 

The trust also reported that the General Election has impacted plans to progress the new hospital project for Basingstoke, delaying the submission of a business case by three months, while construction could be pushed back to 2035.

A Decision-Making Business Case (DMBC) for the new hospital, created using feedback from a public consultation, was due to be produced in July this year.

However, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) has reported that the announcement of the election, held on July 4, has impacted this timeframe.

The DMBC is the legal responsibility of the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and will outline a decision on the preferred model of care and the location of the new hospital, taking account of the feedback from the public consultation.

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The public was asked to consider two possible locations for a new hospital either at the current site in Aldermaston Road or on land at Junction 7 of the M3.

A total of 3,685 people responded to the consultation, of which 52 per cent were in favour of a new specialist acute hospital being built at Junction 7.

Under the plans, Basingstoke’s emergency department and maternity services would be relocated - as would Winchester’s - and some services across Hampshire centralised.

A dedicated children’s emergency department would be created at the new hospital, as well as an obstetrician-led birthing unit alongside a midwife-led birthing unit.

Services such as outpatient appointments, diagnostics, therapy services, and day-care surgery would continue from the current Basingstoke hospital site.

Winchester hospital would be upgraded to have a dedicated planned surgery centre, meaning that specialist and emergency care would be separated - something that concerned more than half of those who responded (54 per cent) to the consultation.

The responses to the consultation were due to be considered by Hampshire’s Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Monday, July 22, who will produce key points for the NHS to consider and respond to.

The NHS will then consider the feedback from the committee alongside the consultation report and will formally respond to panel setting out the process for considering the points that they have raised.

This will help in the development of the final proposal and the DMBC.

HHFT said the election has required a ‘readjustment of the programme’ with the approval of the DMBC moving from the end of July to mid-October 2024.

The nation New Hospital Programme, which Basingstoke is part of, is currently being considered as part of an ‘urgent review’ by the new Labour government before it develops a ‘thorough, realistic and costed timetable for delivery’ of the 40 new hospitals promised by the former Conservative government in 2020.

HHFT has reported that it is planning for refurbishment, construction and opening of the new hospital between 2030 and 2035.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Hospitals said: “We continue with our Hampshire Together partners to the timescales set by the national New Hospital Programme and in line with guidance from government to progress with our plans. There have been no changes to our target timelines.

“We are grateful for the ongoing engagement from local people as we work to develop the best possible plans to meet their healthcare needs for decades to come.”