Alok Sharma, the Member of Parliament for Reading West, has welcomed the announcement that the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is set to be one of 40 hospitals to receive part of a £3.7 billion investment, as part of the Government’s Health Infrastructure Plan.

The Health Infrastructure Plan is the biggest hospital building programme in a generation. Eight further new schemes will be invited to bid to join the Plan, meaning the Government will build 48 hospitals in total over the next ten years. This will deliver on the Government’s manifesto commitment of 40 new hospitals by the end of this decade.

This investment will be on top of the record extra £33.9 billion a year by 2023 to 2024 that the Government is providing to the NHS, and pass into law this year. In addition, it comes on top of the £450 million for 142 A&E upgrades which were announced this summer ahead of winter to improve infection control and increase capacity, as well as the 20 hospital upgrades the Prime Minister announced last year.

Alongside work to deliver the Government’s manifesto commitment on 40 new hospitals, progress is also being made on delivering 50,000 more nurses, with over 14,100 more working in the NHS compared to last year, as well as over 9,200 more doctors.

The announcement reaffirms the Government’s commitment to ensuring both staff and patients across the country have world-class care for years to come.

Alok Sharma MP said: “I am delighted to welcome the announcement that the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is one of 40 hospitals to be awarded funding as part of the Government’s Health and Infrastructure Plan. Staff and patients at the hospital will benefit from the new facilities which will be built as a result of the Government investment. The announcement is evidence of the Government’s commitment to long-lasting improvements to healthcare standards across the country.”