The Wokingham Conservative party are calling for the Royal Berkshire Hospital to be moved to the borough.
The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is currently undertaking a strategic planning exercise to determine the future of Royal Berkshire Hospital.
It is being undertaken as the Trust is considering what to do with the current site in Craven Road, Reading, as some of the wards in the hospital are now over 175 years old.
The exercise previously laid out six options for the future of the hospital. which has been narrowed down to three – with the most radical being the relocation of the hospital.
Now the Wokingham Conservatives have begun a campaign to urge the Trust to relocate the hospital to the Thames Valley Science Park in Shinfield.
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The campaign was announced at a meeting of Wokingham Borough Council’s executive committee, which made up entirely of Conservatives, on Thursday, February 17.
The first stage of the campaign involves encouraging residents to sign a petition to show their support for building a new hospital on an accessible site with the right infrastructure.
Explaining the move, council leader John Halsall (Conservative, Remenham, Wargrave and Ruscombe) said: “The current site for the Royal Berkshire Hospital just doesn’t work – there is no room to expand facilities that are badly in need of updating.
“We believe that it makes sense for a new hospital to be built in Wokingham Borough in an area with good access and the space for an expansive and modern Royal Berkshire Hospital.
“If you agree with our campaign, please show your support by signing our petition.”
Cllr Charles Margetts (Conservative, Finchampstead, North), executive member for health, wellbeing and adult services added: “The Royal Berks is going to be rebuilt, it’s just a question of where.
“Keeping the hospital at the current site would cause decades of disruption, and wouldn’t solve problems of accessibility, parking and room for expansion.
“Moving the hospital to Wokingham Borough, would allow for the building a bespoke facility, near to the M4 with good access and the right infrastructure.
“Back our campaign to provide better care, access and support facilities for patients, their families and staff.”
If you believe the the hospital should be relocated to Wokingham Borough, you can sign the petition, set up by cllr Gregor Murray (Conservative, Norreys) here: Rebuild a new Royal Berkshire Hospital in Wokingham Borough .
But the Wokingham Conservatives push for relocation could put them at loggerheads with Labour run Reading Borough Council.
Earlier this month, councillor Jason Brock (Labour, ) the leader of Reading Borough Council, argued that the best place for the hospital would be in Reading.
There is also the possiblity that the hospital could be relocated to Green Park in the Whitley ward of Reading Borough.
READ MORE: Royal Berkshire Hospital relocation concerns raised by Council
The three options that the Trust are considering for the future of the hospital are:
- Partial redevelopment of the current site, including new emergency care and elective treatment centre
- Wholesale redevelopment of the current site
- Complete relocation to a new site at either Green Park of Thames Valley Science Park
The Trust is still considering its options.
People who are interested in the future of the hospital can join the ‘Building Berkshire Together network’ by emailing buildingberkshiretogether@royalberkshire.nhs.uk .
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