Those in charge of the biggest hospital in Berkshire are seeking views about building a new hospital outside Reading for the first time.
The Royal Berkshire Hospital has been in Reading since 1839, providing valuable care service to people in Berkshire ever since.
Now the NHS Trust in charge wants to build an all-new hospital – either in Shinfield or Earley – as costs of maintaining buildings on the site escalate to £200 million.
The Trust is seeking the views of patients, staff and the public to determine the impact any relocation would have on them.
The introduction to the survey states: “We are exploring multiple options for our new hospital; as part of this we want to understand how you might be affected if the hospital was relocated from its current site to a new location.
“Before we undertake more detailed work we need to understand the impact for our staff, patients and the wider community including residents and local businesses if the hospital moves.”
The two potential sites for the new hospital are Thames Valley Park at the end of the A3290 between New Town in East Reading and Earley, and Thames Valley Science Park off the M4 in Shinfield.
Thames Valley Park is 2.2 miles from the current site in Craven Road. Meanwhile, Thames Valley Science Park is 3.7 miles away.
The consultation states: “Please note this survey is about a potential change to the location of the hospital and at this stage assumes all current services and departments would move.”
The survey asks what hospital services people have used in the last two years, how they get to the Royal Berks and how they would feel if the hospital were to stay in Craven Road.
Responses to this question range from ‘very positive’ to ‘very negative’.
You can fill out the survey at: https://buildingberkshiretogether.co.uk/impact-assessment/
Alternatively, you can email bbt@royalberkshire.nhs.uk or call on 0118 322 6607.
More consultation will take place once more details of what the future hospital could be like will emerge.
The Royal Berkshire NHS Trust was identified as one of 40 Trusts that would receive funding for a new hospital under the previous Conservative government.
The project is being continued by the new Labour government. For the Royal Berkshire Hospital project, the aim is to start the development of a new hospital in 2031.
The new Royal Berkshire Hospital project became a point of debate in the recent general election.
All Labour candidates in Berkshire pledged to work to deliver a new Royal Berkshire Hospital if elected, as did Pauline Jorgensen, the Conservative candidate for Earley and Woodley and the leader of the opposition on Wokingham Borough Council.
Clive Jones, the Liberal Democrat MP for Wokingham made pushing for the new hospital to be delivered as his top priority in Parliament.
