There are fears that a new Royal Berkshire Hospital may not be built after all as the government has officially announced that the project has been put 'in review'.
The hospital in Reading is the biggest healthcare institution in the county, serving approximately half a million patients each year.
However, the NHS Trust that runs the hospital has identified problems with the site, as a backlog of maintenance costs have reached an estimated £200 million alone.
Over several years, a process has taken place to make the case for a new hospital as part of the the previous Conservative government's New Hospital Programme, with a preference for a new site at Thames Valley Park in Earley or Thames Valley Science Park in Shinfield.
But now that project is in doubt as the new Labour government is undertaking a review of the programme, blaming the Conservatives for not funding it.
The lack of certainty over the project has been seized on by opposition political parties, who have accused the three Reading Labour candidates of making false promises to the electorate that the government would build a new Royal Berkshire Hospital (RBH) if elected. All three of those candidates are now MPs.
Henry Wright, Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for Reading Central constituency, said: “After so vocally supporting the new hospital for Reading at the recent General Election, it is shocking to see a Labour Health Secretary put Reading’s new hospital at risk of delay, shrinkage or cancellation.
“Our hard-working NHS staff and local residents deserve better - they need a hospital building which is fit for purpose and fit for the future, rather than quite literally cracking round the edges. Local people cannot afford any more hold-ups to the programme.
“I am calling on our Labour MPs to keep to their election promises and save the Royal Berkshire Hospital rebuild. It must be removed from the scope of this review and allowed to continue without delay.”
Wes Streeting, the Labour health secretary, listed 12 hospital projects that would be out of the scope of the review on Friday, September 20. The RBH was not on that list.
The matter was also seized on by Ross Mackinnon, a Conservative candidate during the election, who accused Oliva Bailey, Labour MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire of making promises she couldn't keep.
Posting on X/Twitter, Mr Mackinnon said: “During the election Olivia proudly proclaimed her commitment from Rachel Reeves to build a new Royal Berkshire Hospital if Labour won. We kept the evidence.
"On Friday the government said it's on indefinite hold. Unbelievable- maybe the Trust should have donated Rachel some nice suits.”
During the election Olivia proudly proclaimed her commitment from Rachel Reeves to build a new Royal Berks Hospital if Labour won.
— Ross Mackinnon (@RossMackinnonWB) September 22, 2024
We kept the evidence.
On Friday the Govt said it's on indefinite hold.
Unbelievable- maybe the Trust should have donated Rachel some nice suits😡 pic.twitter.com/hf1jWqEYjK
Meanwhile, the Reading Labour MPs argued the Conservative new hospitals programme was undeliverable. In a joint statement, Matt Rodda, the Labour MP for Reading Central, Yuan Yang, the Labour MP for Earley and Woodley and Ms Bailey said: "We will continue to fight tooth and nail for a new RBH.
"This review is only necessary because Boris Johnson’s New Hospital Programme was a sham. Within weeks of the election, it was evident that the Conservatives pledge to ‘build 40 new hospitals’ including the RBH was unfunded.
"Residents across Berkshire are rightly furious that the Conservatives promised new hospitals while covering up they had no money to pay for it.
"We share residents’ frustration about the need for this review, but we also need honesty over how a new hospital will be funded.
"We are confident in the strength of the case that the excellent RBH team have developed and continue to make the case for a new hospital strongly."
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