Bracknell’s former MP has accused the Labour government of ‘dither and delay’ in confirming the rebuild of Frimley Park Hospital, after it was officially given the go-ahead last week.
In July, Labour said it had to reconsider the plan to build 40 new hospitals by 2030 to address a £22bn ‘black hole’ in the government’s finances left by the Conservatives.
This threw the rebuild of Frimley Park Hospital into question, as well as nearby Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.
But on Friday, September 20, the Health Secretary announced a dozen hospitals – including the Surrey-based Frimley Park – would go ahead.
The hospital was built in the 1970s with two thirds crumbling concrete, giving it priority to be delivered.
Now, the former MP for Bracknell James Sunderland has accused Labour of ‘dither and delay’ over the decision, which has caused anxiety for residents.
The Conservative told the News: “As a military man, politics for me was always about doing my job and fighting for the people I serve. That is why I worked so hard with local Conservative MPs to secure the funding for Frimley Park Hospital.”
Serving as representative for Bracknell from 2019 to 2024, Mr Sunderland said it was ‘sad’ that his predecessor Peter Swallow was ‘seeking to gain credit for what had already been secured long before his time.
Mr Swallow, the first Labour MP for Bracknell, said that Frimley Park Hospital was a ‘testament to how the Conservatives left the NHS: crumbling’.
He claimed the government’s promises were ‘undeliverable and uncosted’.
James Sunderland called this ‘absolute nonsense’ and insisted that the funding was ‘costed and secure’.
Bracknell MP Peter Swallow said: “I welcome today’s announcement that recognises that Frimley, built primarily with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), needs to be replaced urgently to protect patient and staff safety.
“I look forward to hearing more about Frimley ICB’s next steps, including the location of a new site. I will continue to campaign to get Frimley rebuilt, working with a Labour government to get this done as soon as possible.”
The Health Secretary Wes Streeting said that the government are ‘working at pace’ and would ‘commit to a realistic timetable to complete this scheme’.
NHS bosses are yet to publicly identify a site, as the situation remains ‘commercially sensitive’.
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