The Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee (Frimley Park Hospital) met on Tuesday 25 February 2025 to discuss the Frimley Park New Hospital programme, the extension of Frimley Park Hospital, and the overarching Frimley Health strategy. Key decisions included noting presentations on the new hospital programme and its communications strategy, and agreeing to a recommendation for NHS Frimley to provide further detail on demand and capacity modelling.

Frimley Park New Hospital Programme

The committee received a comprehensive update on the New Frimley Park Hospital Programme. Alex White, Programme Director for the New Hospital Programme, explained that Frimley Park Hospital is a RAAC¹ hospital prioritised for urgent replacement in wave one of the national programme. The programme is currently at the strategic outline case stage, with a capital budget confirmed by the Secretary of State within the £1.5 to £2 billion category. An indicative construction start window of 2028-2029 has been set, with the intention to bring this forward. The Trust is working to identify a preferred site, with a decision expected in mid to late spring, following a due process and objective data-driven comparison of options.

Further details were provided on the site selection process, which began with testing the feasibility of using the existing site, concluding it was not practical. Public engagement in late 2023 and early 2024 informed site selection criteria, leading to a long list of potential sites within a five-mile radius. A hybrid solution involving an off-site main acute hospital with the re-use of retained non-RAAC buildings is the preferred way forward. Detailed site and transport analysis will commence after a preferred site is announced, with planning consultation and application targeted for 2027. The full business case and construction start are targeted for 2028/29, with an anticipated hospital opening date of 2032/33.

The committee was assured that work was being done to manage programme slippage through change control, and that the government's policy is to remove all RAAC from the NHS estate by 2035. Specific details on why the existing site was unsuitable were to be provided outside of the meeting.

Frimley Park Hospital Extension (M-Block)

James Clark, Chief Strategy Officer, provided an update on the Frimley Park Hospital Extension, a £50 million building programme nearing completion. This extension will provide an additional 76 beds, state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging equipment, and a designated one-stop shop for diagnostics and breast care. The unit is scheduled to open in early April 2025, with a phased approach starting with ward areas, followed by the breast unit and diagnostics centre. The building has been constructed using modern, modular methods to reduce carbon emissions and environmental impact. The committee expressed a strong desire to visit the new unit before its opening.

Communications and Engagement Strategy

Kirk Ward, Director of Communications and Engagement, and Ellie Davies, Associate Director of Communications and Engagement, presented the draft Communications and Engagement Strategy for the New Frimley Park Hospital Programme. The strategy aims to ensure transparency, inclusivity, and continuous engagement with patients, the public, staff, and stakeholders. Key objectives include building trust, fostering collaboration, and leveraging digital tools. The strategy outlines a collaborative, co-designed approach, with a commitment to involving seldom heard groups and using an independent research partner to evaluate feedback.

The committee raised concerns about the clarity of communication regarding the site selection process and the management of misinformation. They emphasised the importance of using accessible language, multiple communication channels, and engaging with organisations that work with harder-to-reach groups, including those with digital exclusion and minority language speakers. The importance of engaging with young people and ensuring culturally appropriate communications was also highlighted. The committee recommended that an external vendor be used to ensure the communications platform is fit for purpose and that the widest possible approaches are utilised.

Overarching Frimley Health Strategy

Lance McCarthy, Chief Executive of Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, presented the overarching Frimley Health strategy, which is currently out for engagement. The vision is to be compassionate, effective and modern, supported by four strategic objectives: satisfied patients, engaged people, modern infrastructure, and excellent quality. The strategy emphasises a virtuous circle approach, focusing on people to deliver high-quality clinical outcomes and infrastructure.

Key aspects of the strategy include a commitment to never making financial decisions that could impact quality or patient safety, and retaining existing values of commitment to excellence, working together, and facing the future. The strategy includes metrics for success, such as patient satisfaction rates, waiting times, and staff recommendation scores. The committee expressed appreciation for the focus on compassion and suggested pushing for biometric access for the MyFrimley Health app. They also requested a revisit of the strategy in a separate session.

The committee noted the presentations and agreed to a recommendation for NHS Frimley to provide a presentation on the modelling that goes into demand and capacity modelling as part of a private briefing session. They also recommended that the transformation programme be monitored to ensure it is delivering as expected, with reports on corrective actions if necessary.