Letter to the Chair of JHOSC: Frimley Park Hospital Rebuild

Please see the letter below.

Dr Al Pinkerton MP has written to Councillor Trefor Hogg, Chair of the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Frimley Park Hospital, challenging the committee’s support for proceeding without a formal NHS public consultation on the proposed relocation of the hospital.

Al fully supports rebuilding Frimley Park Hospital as a matter of urgency because of the widespread presence of RAAC. However, he believes the hospital must be built in the right place, with the right consultation and the infrastructure needed to serve patients safely.

Correspondence disclosed through a Freedom of Information request shows that, in July 2025, the Chair and Vice-Chair concluded that formal consultation was unnecessary because there would be “no negative impact on access”. This conclusion appears to have been reached before a public transport review had been undertaken and while the detailed transport and infrastructure plan remained in development.

Serious concerns have since been raised about congestion, ambulance and blue-light journeys, public transport, construction traffic and access for patients and staff. The proposed site is also alongside six schools attended by more than 3,300 pupils. A joint statement supported by 19 local schools and academy trusts warned about road capacity, emergency access, construction disruption and pupil safety, while confirming that schools had not been consulted before the preferred site was announced.

Questions also remain about when the Frimley Fuel Allotments became the preferred location. In March 2025, several sites were presented to Al as remaining under consideration. However, correspondence issued by July 2025 recorded that the “plans and preferred location” had already been reviewed privately.

Al is also seeking clarity about the cost and funding of the transport, access and utility improvements required. Discussions with health officials indicated that some works had not been fully costed or budgeted and might need to be funded through the project’s contingency allocation.

Key requests:

• Publication of the evidence supporting the claim that there would be “no negative impact on access”
• Details of the schools, transport bodies, ambulance services and communities consulted before July 2025
• Confirmation that the necessary infrastructure improvements have been identified, costed and funded
• Clarification of when the Frimley Fuel Allotments became the preferred site
• Confirmation of which committee members endorsed the decision and whether it was approved through a formal vote

Al has made clear that residents deserve a hospital that is safe, accessible and supported by the necessary infrastructure. A project of this scale and importance must be subject to meaningful public scrutiny.

Please see the letter below.