BASINGSTOKE has been promised a new hospital, but as the year comes to an end the project appears to be no further forward than 12 months ago.

It was announced in 2020 that Basingstoke would be given a new hospital as part of a £3.7 billion government funding package.

Alex Whitfield, chief executive of Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust (HHFT), said she hoped the hospital would be built by 2028.

But despite Hampshire Together stating on its website that a formal public consultation on options was planned to take place in 2022, the project appears to have come to an abrupt halt with no new developments announced this year and no consultation taking place.

READ MORE: Trust says new hospital 'on course' for 2028

Hampshire Together initially said the formal public consultation would be held from January to March 2021.

This was meant to include a “preferred way forward” after which a decision on the location was due to be announced.

However, almost two years later and the project appears to have made no further progress, with the trust still undecided on the location.

So far, two locations have been shortlisted – the current site of Basingstoke hospital and land off Junction 7 of the M3.

A statement from Hampshire hospitals refers to a new hospital for Hampshire, rather than Basingstoke.

It said: “We are working closely with colleagues in the New Hospital Programme (NHP) and wider Department of Health and Social Care and have taken every opportunity to demonstrate to them the importance of a new hospital for Hampshire.

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“We remain on course and ready to deliver as part of phase two (2025 to 2030) of the national programme and have undertaken extensive clinical, operational and engagement work to ensure that the option choices we ultimately consult on are the very best they can be to deliver safe, high quality and sustainable services in excellent facilities for the people of north and mid Hampshire for the long-term.

“We are taking full advantage of learnings from the first wave of new hospitals and as soon as we are given the green light from NHP and HM Treasury, we will take our proposals out for public consultation at the earliest opportunity.

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“We are fully prepared to move forward with our new hospital programme plans while also ensuring our current trust services and settings continue to evolve alongside and to support our system partners and communities.”

Alex Whitfield said: “We remain on course to deliver a new hospital for Hampshire as part of the government’s national New Hospital Programme.

“The Hampshire Together programme initially aimed to consult in January 2021. However, following discussions with our national partners, we collectively took the decision to undertake further work based on learnings from the first NHS trusts in the New Hospital programme, to ensure that the options we put forward are the very best they can be.

“This work is ongoing and complex, but we can assure local people that we will take our proposals out for public consultation at the earliest opportunity.”