The NHS’s 17-week public engagement on proposals for a new Frimley Park Hospital and improvements to health and care services across the area came to a close on Monday 12 October 2026.

Since launching in June, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust has heard from more than 10,000 local people, patients, staff, partners and stakeholders through the questionnaire and a wide-ranging programme of engagement.

Activity spanned 23 postcode areas across Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire. It included more than 20 public events and pop-up sessions, an independently run telephone survey of 500 residents, and six independent focus groups. Information was also delivered to more than 200,000 households to help ensure people who may not use digital channels had an opportunity to take part.

Targeted engagement was also carried out through 22 sessions led by Healthwatch Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire with communities whose voices are less often heard, helping to ensure a broad range of views and experiences were captured.

The engagement sought feedback on proposals for a new clinical model which includes government investment of £1.5bn-£2bn to build a new Frimley Park Hospital at Pine Ridge Golf Club in Surrey Heath, expand Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot, and repurpose the non-RAAC buildings on the existing hospital site to provide outpatient and diagnostic service. This will be subject to business case and town planning application approvals which will be developed over the coming months.

The current hospital is affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which is now known to present long-term safety challenges. Under a government requirement, all RAAC must be removed from NHS hospitals by 2035.

Lance McCarthy, Chief Executive of Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, said:

"More than 10,000 people have had their say on the future of local healthcare, making this one of the biggest conversations we’ve ever had with our communities. I would like to thank everyone who has shared their comments, questions and concerns with us.

"Over the last few months, we have spoken to people through public events, meetings, roadshows, webinars and community discussions. We have heard a wide range of views, including support for the proposals and concerns about issues such as traffic at the preferred location. We know these issues matter to local people and the feedback we have received will help us improve and refine our plans. That is exactly why this engagement has been so important.

"We have made a particular effort to hear from a broad cross-section of our communities, including local residents, staff, schools, community organisations and seldom-heard groups. It is important that everyone has the opportunity to have their voice heard and to continue working with us to develop solutions to areas of concern and challenge." 

Caroline Hutton, Deputy Chief Executive and Senior Responsible Officer for the new hospital said:

“Our proposal is about more than replacing buildings. It is about improving services for patients, as set out in the NHS 10 year plan, providing more care closer to home where appropriate, and ensuring we have modern hospital facilities that meet the needs of our communities in the future.

"While this first phase of engagement is coming to a close, our conversations with local people will continue. We are committed to listening to the communities and working together with patients, staff and the public we serve to develop our plans."

What happens next

  • Independent company, Opinion Research Services (ORS), will now analyse the feedback received through the questionnaire, engagement events, meetings, written responses and other channels.
  • The findings will be published in an independent report later this year, providing a comprehensive overview of the feedback received, as well as being considered at the New Frimley Park Hospital Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee at the end of November. 
  • A summary explaining what was heard and how that feedback has informed proposals will be published in early 2027. 
  • The Trust will continue to develop its plans and carry out further detailed technical assessments, including traffic surveys, over the winter.
  • Any future planning application would include formal public consultation as part of the local planning process.
  • National approvals and detailed business cases would also be required before any building work could begin.
  • A planning application for the new hospital is planned to be submitted in autumn 2027.

In the meantime, Frimley Health will continue to invest in keeping patients, staff and visitors safe across the current Frimley Park Hospital site. 

Further information about the programme, including future updates and the publication of the independent engagement report, will be available at https://www.fhft.nhs.uk/new-frimley-park-hospital