Clive Jones, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Wokingham, has criticised the government for further delaying a new Royal Berkshire Hospital.
He said: “”This is a massive broken promise from the Conservatives.
“In 2019, the Conservatives promised they were going to fund a brand new hospital in Reading.
“It was expected that the work for the new hospital would start within a few years and be completed by 2030.
“Now, we hear that no work will start until 2031 at the earliest, and that a brand new hospital on a new site would take at least five years to build. “Rebuilding on the existing site would take much longer.”
He said the news was announced last week by the CEO of the RBH trust on BBC Radio Berkshire.
“This is terrible news for staff and patients of the Royal Berks. The hospital has some serious issues that need addressing now.
“All the staff working at the Royal Berks do a fantastic job in very difficult circumstances. This is a slap in the face for staff and patients.
“There are original parts of the hospital (It opened in 1839) that are simply not fit for purpose.
“I have pointed this out to the secretary of state for health, and invited her to visit the hospital to see the conditions that staff have to work in and the conditions that some patients are treated in.
“The reply from a junior minister didn’t confirm either way whether the secretary of state would come here.
“This is a real disappointment, and shows that the Conservatives just don’t care about the Royal Berks.
“We cannot expect staff to work in these poor conditions or expect patients to be treated in very old and crumbling parts of the hospital for another 12 years.”
He asked: “If there is to be no new hospital for at least 12 years, what are the governments’ plans to fix the existing problems, and what will they do to improve capacity and waiting times in the accident and emergency department?”.
He claimed the conservatives are destroying the NHS,and they must not be allowed to get away with it.
In 2020, the government said the Royal Berkshire Hospital was listed as number 17 on its priority list.
A statement on its website said:Wokingham conservatives believe the best option for rebuilding, and to tackle the significant backlog, is to build a brand new hospital on a site that is more easily accessible, and is designed with modern services.
In 2023, Jason Brock, the former leader of Reading Borough Council, made a plea for the Royal Berkshire Hospital to remain in its current location.
