A NEW hospital looks set to be built in Basingstoke, as part of a package worth £3.7 billion announced today by central government.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson today confirmed funding for 40 hospitals across England, to be built by 2030.

It will come as a blow to hopes that the Royal Hampshire County Hospital will retain its current range of services, including an A&E unit and the consultant-led maternity unit at Florence Portal House.

This week the Chronicle reported that health bosses were considering a variety of options most of which would see A&E, consultant-led maternity and other specialist services go to a new hospital.

Detailing the entire list of locations, the government says it is earmarking funding for a "new hospital at Basingstoke & North Hampshire Hospital and major refurbishment at Royal Hampshire Hospital in Winchester".

However, no further details were given in terms of timeframe for this work to be carried out or what a 'major refurbishment' at the RHCH would entail.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "The dedication and tireless efforts of our nurses, doctors and all healthcare workers have kept the NHS open throughout this pandemic. But no matter what this virus throws at us, we are determined to build back better and deliver the biggest hospital building programme in a generation.

"From Morpeth to Milton Keynes, we are building 40 new hospitals across England to level up our NHS so more people have top-class healthcare services in their local area.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock added: "We protected the NHS through the peak of coronavirus. Today we recommit to protect the NHS for years to come with the 40 new hospitals we will build over the next decade.

"I love the NHS and I will do all I can to make sure it is there for you and your family over the years to come. The biggest hospital building programme in a generation will help protect the NHS long into the future."

Cllr Tristian Robinson, who represents Sherborne St. John, has welcomed the news, writing: "Today, the Prime Minister has confirmed a new hospital for Basingstoke as part of HIP2. The total Hospital Infrastructure Plan is for 40 hospitals, built by 2030 as part of a package worth £3.7 billion.

"Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will see a new hospital at Basingstoke & North Hampshire Hospital and major refurbishment at Royal Hampshire Hospital in Winchester. We’ve been resolute in calling for a new hospital for our town, and now there is the funding to see it delivered."

This second phase of the government's Hospital Infrastructure Plan (HIP), initially launched in September of last year, will also see new standards being developed "to help revolutionise design and speed-up construction."

The announcement comes as Hampshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) carry out ongoing consultations on options for the proposed new facilities.

Hampshire Together: Modernising our Hospitals and Health Services, which includes members from the hospital trust, clinical commissioning groups, county council, ambulance service, district councils, the Local Enterprise Partnership and the University of Winchester, is currently working on revamping the region's hospital services, in order to meet the population's changing health needs.

This evening a HHFT spokesman said they had only found out about the announcement from the government this afternoon.

When asked about the new hospital at Basingstoke, they insisted a public consultation would go ahead before any decisions were made.

When pressed by the Chronicle's sister paper, the Basingstoke Gazette about whether the decision had already been decided, hence the government's statement, they denied this.

The spokesman also denied it was a sham consultation and said a full public consultation would take place in early 2021.

A spokesman for the trust described the announcement as "fantastic news" but appeared to pour cold water over the prime minister's statement, saying: "The published list states that money is available to build a new hospital at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and carry out a major refurbishment at Royal Hampshire County Hospital. It is important to note that this is not binding and that neither the location of any new facility, nor the make-up of services provided there, will be decided ahead of a period of formal public consultation, due to take place early next year."