THE boss of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) was questioned over plans to build a new hospital for Basingstoke.

Speaking at an event focusing on research initiatives at the trust, chief executive Alex Whitfield updated attendees on the current status of the project.

As previously reported, plans to build a new hospital in Basingstoke were put into doubt because of fears over insufficient funding and rising costs, which could scupper the Conservative’s flagship NHS pledge.

READ MORE: Plans to build new hospital for Basingstoke put into doubt

Ms Whitfield previously spoke about the “poor condition” of the trust’s ageing hospital buildings, revealing that it has the worst maintenance backlog in the south-east, with ceiling tiles falling down and sewage leaks just some of the problems.

Her comments came after The Observer newspaper reported that only 10 of former prime minister Boris Johnson’s 40 new hospital projects have full planning permission.

HHFT is one of 12 trusts to have no planning permission in place for a new hospital, while 18 of the projects are thought to have some kind of preliminary agreement.

The trust is yet to decide on a location for a new hospital.

SEE ALSO: Plans to build a new hospital for Basingstoke appear to come to a halt

Giving an update at the event, Ms Whitfield said the national programme for new hospitals had gone to the Treasury in December to find out how much money is needed for the next phase of hospitals to be built between 2025 and 2030, which HHFT is part of.

She said: “We can’t consult with the public on options until we know what funding we have to deliver the options. That’s why we’re in a slight waiting position now before we can consult with the public.”

As previously reported, the project is two years behind a published scheduled timeline, and a public consultation due to take place in January 2021 to help decide between two shortlisted locations has still not been held.

Despite claims from ministers that the 40 new hospitals, including one for Basingstoke, will be delivered by 2030 with £3.7billion worth of funding, health chiefs and economists told The Observer that the funding is “woefully insufficient”.

The plan to build 40 new hospitals was at the heart of Mr Johnson’s 2019 general election manifesto, but NHS figures have told The Observer there is ‘no chance’ the schemes will be delivered on time.

The independent National Audit Office (NAO) is now investigating the programme.

The NAO supports parliament in holding the government to account and help improve public services through its audits.

Its report on the new hospital programme will examine whether the DHSC and NHS England are “managing the programme in a way that is likely to achieve value for money”.

HHFT previously said that the project for Basingstoke “remains on course” to be delivered by 2030.

It has identified two potential sites – land off Junction 7 of the M3 or the current site of Basingstoke hospital.