I have been making the case to Government for a new hospital for Basingstoke for more than 6 years. Basingstoke Hospital has served our community extremely well since the 1970s. However, it is badly in need of replacement, with £700m repairs projected over the next 30 years, the equivalent cost of building an entirely new Hospital.
It is most welcome that Basingstoke has been included in the national Hospital Building Programme as a location for one of 40 new hospitals. This will ensure that vital health infrastructure will be in place to meet the needs of Basingstoke and North Hampshire for the long-term future.
We have already grown extraordinarily as a town since the original hospital was built. Furthermore, estimates show that the population served by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will increase by around 23% between 2018 and 2050. Our population is also rapidly ageing, with significant increases in the over 75s, with all the implications that brings for our health services.
With major new housing developments already on the way, such as 3,500 homes at Manydown, it is imperative that Basingstoke and the wider region of North Hampshire get a new hospital as a priority.