The Labour Government have announced that Frimley Park Hospital could be removed from the hospital rebuilding program.
In May 2023, the then Conservative Government announced that Frimley Park Hospital would be rebuilt as part of a national £20 billion investment in new hospital infrastructure. The NHS at the time asked the Government to prioritise the rebuilding of these hospitals given the risks they pose to patients and staff.
When Frimley Park was first constructed in the 1970's, reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was used as a main construction element. Due to the material being a lightweight type of concrete and allowing for prefabrication, it was viewed as a cost-saving and efficient means of building. However, the material has a limited lifespan after which it deteriorates significantly. The full extent of the risks came to light after the New Hospital Programme was first announced in 2020.
The rebuild of Frimley Park is desperately needed to augment and replace the existing hospital. Any cancellation or delay will impact all of us across Surrey Heath and in neighbouring constituencies who use our hospital for essential healthcare in all aspects of our lives.
Without this new hospital, Frimley Park could be forced to close, due to being unsafe, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without an A&E, acute care and a regional heart centre. Our waiting lists will increase, our health outcomes will get poorer, our children and elderly will not get the care they desperately need and our community will suffer.
Commenting, Cllr Jonny Cope said:
"I am very concerned by the news that the rebuild of Frimley Park Hospital appears to have been removed from the list of hospitals being invested in as part of New Hospital Programme by the new Labour government.
"These works were announced as part of a major investment in hospital infrastructure by the previous government. However Frimley Park no longer appears on the list of hospitals which are to be invested in.
"These works are sorely needed at our hospital, particularly due to Frimley Park having been constructed using Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) which is now known to be unsafe."
