On January 6 The Basingstoke Gazette launched a petition calling for the government to make a firm commit to building a new hospital for the town, almost a year after launching a campaign to Build Our Hospital, backed by political leaders from across Basingstoke.
As the town’s local paper, the team at the Basingstoke Gazette is championing this important matter by taking action on an issue we know people who live here feel very strongly about.
READ MORE: Time to put political views aside and unite in fight to build new Basingstoke hospital
By launching a petition we’re giving the people of Basingstoke the chance to have their collective voice heard loud and clear that they will not back down until a new hospital in Basingstoke is built.
The town was promised a new hospital in 2020 as part of the then Conservative government’s New Hospital Programme.
But since then, the project has faced delays and setbacks and is now in limbo while a review takes place, the outcome of which will be published in 2025.
Within days of the petition launching hundreds of people showed their support by signing, with the figure now totalling 592 as of January 14.
Carly Humphreys spent three nights at Basingstoke hospital last week and shared her reasons for signing the petition, saying: “The facilities and equipment are not to standard and staff are too overstretched. They were faultless in their efforts and it is actually remarkable as many were falling ill themselves.”
She added: “Patients and staff are suffering terribly.”
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Susan Stewart, from Lychpit, said: “We need a new hospital. Our hospital isn’t big enough for the town now let alone all the new houses that have to be built according to the government.”
Sallie Golding posted: “I live in Basingstoke and think this is urgently required.”
Rebecca Winson said: “The hospital staff and patients all deserve a new hospital, and we all deserve to have a promise honoured. The more times this promise is broken, the more we are all made to feel that we are stupid to ever expect anything better for ourselves, for the town and for the country. But we’re not asking for the moon and the stars – this is a basic provision. Everyone deserves to live somewhere that is capable of looking after us when we’re sick and injured.”
Gerry Gray posted on the petition page: “Basingstoke hospital struggles to meet demand and the hardworking staff are coping with old facilities. As a growing town, Basingstoke needs a new hospital to cater for its residents.”
Marilyln Bennett said: “It is way past time that Basingstoke had a new hospital. The population has grown so much since it was built and the buildings are crumbling. The staff work so hard and they and those living in the town deserve what we were promised. It is no excuse that we have a new party in power – Basingstoke needs a new hospital.”
You can sign the petition here change.org/p/demand-health-secretary-fulfils-promise-of-a-new-hospital-in-basingstoke