Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust has issued a programme update on its proposed replacement for Frimley Park Hospital.
The update outlines ongoing planning, safety mitigation works and the next stages of delivery within the government’s New Hospital Programme.
Frimley Park Hospital has been prioritised as wave 1 hospital in the New Hospital Programme, with construction expected to start between 2025 and 2023 and expected completion by 2030-2034.
The scheme, backed by a nearly £2bn of investment, will replace the existing 1970s-built hospital, which contains reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) and is no longer considered suitable for long-term healthcare delivery.
RAAC, a lightweight concrete commonly used in hospitals built between the 1950s and 1980s, can fail suddenly as it ages, posing a critical safety risk.
A report from the Department of Health and Social Care found that 65% of the hospital is affected by RAAC planks, including many of the core areas such as wards, theatres, maternity units, the hospital corridors and ICU.
While mitigation works have been confirmed as sufficient to keep the current estate operational beyond 2030, the trust said a new-build facility remains “essential” and is the only way to fully address structural risks and meet future demand.
Where will the new hospital be located?
As part of the emerging model of care, the trust is proposing a multi-site approach.
More than half of current traffic to the existing hospital relates to outpatient and diagnostic activity, which is expected to remain on the retained estate rather than transferring to the new acute site.
The programme has now completed its Strategic Outline Case, with national review underway.
The trust also submitted a business case that outlines steps to secure a new main site, repurposing the non-RAAC buildings at the existing Frimley Park site and the expansion of Heatherwood Hospital.
Wider developments support the inclusion of Wexham Park Hospital investments, community diagnostic centres and neighbourhood health hubs.
Detailed technical, legal and planning due diligence is progressing in parallel with preparations for land acquisition and future planning submissions.
A preferred site has yet to be publicly confirmed due to commercial sensitivities, although a wide range of options, including brownfield land, Ministry of Defence sites and the existing hospital footprint, have been assessed.
“As soon as commercial negotiations conclude we will be able to make an announcement, which we hope to be in June,” said Caroline Hutton, Deputy Chief Executive and executive lead for Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust. “This site will be within a five-mile radius of the existing hospital.”
Rebuilding on the current site has been ruled out due to operational and safety constraints.