Frimley Park Hospital is set to undergo a significant rebuild, a decision initiated in 2023 due to the presence of deteriorating reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) beams, which affect 65% of the hospital’s infrastructure.
The new hospital building had been promised first by Boris Johnson and the Conservatives for building in 2025 and completion by 2030. The Health Secretary has now announced that instead initial construction on the project will be pushed back until 2028/9, with an unspecified completion date.
Dr Al Pinkerton slammed the decision saying that patients had been “desperately let down”. They also called on the government to release its impact assessment into what the delays to the completion of the project would mean for patients in Surrey Heath and how at risk people being treated at Frimley Park would be without the new building in place.
Liberal Democrat MP for Surrey Heath, Al Pinkerton said: “Patient safety here in Surrey Heath is at risk and we have been desperately let down.”
“We simply can’t wait any longer for Frimley Park Hospital to be rescued. The Conservatives broke their word to our community and now this government has kicked the issue into the long grass.”
“The Health Secretary must immediately publish the impact assessment of what the delays to completing Frimley Park Hospital will mean for people here in Surrey Heath and how much longer we will have to suffer with not fit for purpose local health services. I will continue fighting for our community day in and day out until we get the commitments we need.”