HAMPSHIRE Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) is hoping for “clarity” around timings of starting a consultation on plans to build a new hospital.

As previously reported, HHFT said plans to build a new hospital for the borough remain “on course” despite being a year behind its scheduled timeline.

Read more: Trust said new hospital for Basingstoke 'on course' for 2028

It was announced in 2020 that Basingstoke would get a new hospital as part of a £3.7 billion government funding package.

A formal public consultation on the trust’s two options for the hospital location – at the current site of Basingstoke hospital or land off Junction 7 of the M3 – was meant to take place from January to March last year.

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However, more than a year later and the consultation is yet to commence.

An update on the programme, given to the trust’s board of directors last month, said it now hopes for “clarity around timings for consultation to begin” following a visit from the ‘national team’ on February 17.

It added that a “standardisation” had been developed by hospitals already in their build or design phase.

The report to the board of directors said that a hospital algorithm was being developed to “assist with build and design of hospitals and maximise the benefits of standardisation across a large national programme”.

Questions were raised in August 2021 as to whether Basingstoke will be given a new hospital, as promised, after government information was leaked which put plans in doubt, suggesting that some of the 48 new hospitals could instead be major refurbishments of NHS buildings.

It is still not known if Basingstoke hospital is set to be refurbished or whether the town will be given a new hospital.

HHFT previously declined to comment on the leaked information and whether this could mean Basingstoke hospital will be refurbished rather than replaced.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Together: Modernising our hospitals and health service (MoHHS) programme, previously said: “We are continuing to work with national colleagues to develop plans for a new hospital for Hampshire and remain on course to deliver as part of phase two (2025 to 2030) of the national programme.

“We are currently undertaking extensive clinical and operational work to ensure that the options we ultimately consult on are the very best they can be; taking full advantage of learnings from the first wave of new hospitals as well as delivering value for money.

“Once this work is completed, we will take our proposals out for public consultation at the earliest opportunity.”

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