New hospital will be built to serve three areas, chief executive says

As previously reported the Government has allocated funding for Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) as part of its Health Infrastructure Plan for hospital building projects, with papers saying the money is for both Basingstoke and Winchester.

However, the trust has previously refused to say where the money will be used, and which of these areas will be given a new hospital, stating: “The funding is for the trust. There’s no stipulation on where anything should be built.”

Now, Alex Whitfield, chief executive of HHFT, has confirmed the money will be spent on a new hospital to benefit the population of all three areas it covers – Basingstoke, Winchester and Andover.

She said: “The money is to build a new hospital in the period 2025 to 2030 so we have still got five years to do that. This year is looking at options, talking to stakeholders, public and staff so we are hoping to get onto that in the second half of the year.”

She added: “We know it will serve the population of Basingstoke, Winchester and Andover; it will be of benefit to all of that population.”

She said part of the funding may also be used to upgrade the existing hospitals, explaining: “It doesn’t mean existing hospitals will go. In fact, the money may well be used for upgrades to some of those existing hospitals as well. It’s more generally about health infrastructure and improving the whole infrastructure for our population.

“There will be a new hospital somewhere but there will also be upgrades to existing hospitals.”

She remained tight-lipped over where a new hospital might be built, saying: “That’s all part of the pre-work, talking to people about what their priorities are and what the best solution is.”

However, she said work is still continuing in the back-ground as the trust deals with the Covid-19 pandemic, adding: “We are trying to keep it moving on the original schedule and at the moment we are managing to do that.”