PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(12 December 2024)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the rebuild of the Royal Berkshire Hospital will include IT (a) infrastructure and (b) equipment necessary for greater research capacity.

Asked by:
Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat)

Plans for the new Royal Berkshire Hospital as part of the New Hospital Programme (NHP) are at the early stages of development. The trust is currently developing their Strategic Outline Case for the scheme to establish their preferred way forward. This is the first stage of the business case process, and as set out in the HM Treasury Green book, the Strategic Outline Case is followed by an Outline Business Case, and finally a Full Business Case.

The NHP’s approach to standardising design for future hospitals, known as Hospital 2.0, is being designed with clinical and operational staff. Part of the Hospital 2.0 design is to integrate digital solutions and smart technology to increase productivity and drive efficiency, empowering staff to maximise the use of the facilities. Through the business case process, individual trusts will put forward plans for the relevant infrastructure to meet their digital and research requirements.

Answered by:
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