Theresa May has reacted to a new ‘Vision document’ from NHS Berkshire explaining their latest thinking about the future of St Marks Hospital in Maidenhead, and about wider healthcare issues in Berkshire. The document comes ahead of a full public consultation, to be launched in the autumn as part of NHS Berkshire’s ‘Shaping the Future’ project. The new document provides reassurances about the importance of St Marks in providing healthcare support, and states that the urgent care centre will remain on site. It also acknowledges the need to enhance access to outpatient and diagnostic provision in Maidenhead.
The latest proposals from NHS Berkshire come a month after Theresa met the Chief Executive, Charles Waddicor, to question him about reports that services could be removed from St Marks. Having pressed Mr Waddicor for reassurance about this, Theresa was pleased to note that no reduction in services is proposed in the vision document, which states: “The proposals in this document do not imply significant changes to… community hospitals in east Berkshire – except that the aim is to offer a wider range of outpatient and diagnostic services at St Mark’s (Maidenhead) and King Edward VII (Windsor).”
Commenting, Theresa said: “I cautiously welcome these new proposals from NHS Berkshire, which provide greater reassurance about the future of services at St Marks. I am pleased that this vision document has noted the importance of St Marks in providing community health services, and that there is a need for outpatient and diagnostic services to be enhanced. It is also welcome that the work of the urgent care centre has been re-affirmed. As we move towards the public consultation, these assurances will need to be expanded to ensure a proper plan is in place for the future of St Marks so that Maidenhead is not overlooked in favour of new developments elsewhere.”
