Hospital earmarked for rebuild celebrates 50 years

A hospital in Surrey, which has been earmarked for a complete rebuild, has celebrated its 50th birthday.

Frimley Park Hospital was built using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).

It was listed for reconstruction under the previous government's New Hospitals Programme.

Caroline Hutton, senior NHS officer responsible for the new hospital, said they were "aiming to build it by 2030".

Ms Hutton, who is also the deputy chief executive for Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We are working through a process to select the best site to build a new hospital.

"We will update staff and the public as soon as we can."

Raac was first discovered at Frimley Park in 2012.

Unstable concrete is thought to make up about 65% of the current building.

Sue Foster, the first maternity patient at the hospital, attended Tuesday's celebrations.

She said: "The staff gave us a round of applause as I was the first pregnant mother in the hospital. They were so lovely."

The hospital says it has delivered up to 200,000 babies since it opened in 1974 - including rugby player Jonny Wilkinson and the children of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

Ms Hutton, deputy chief executive for the NHS trust, said: "It's an incredible day. We're really proud of all the staff here."

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