BOSSES for the new hospital site in Ascot have provided an update on its opening date after major flood damage was found to be affecting the lower levels of the site.
The update comes after it was reported that a burst pipe in the lower floors of the construction site of Heatherwood Hospital had been left unchecked over the May Bank Holiday Weekend.
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One source, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed that the damage left approximately two-feet deep flood water in the bottom two floors of the building.
However a spokesman for Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust refuted the claim at the time, saying the flooding was "closer to two inches" in depth.
When The News pressed for more information in July, the spokesman said that bosses were waiting on the results of a safety investigation before making further plans on when to officially open the site.
Since then, a spokesman for Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust said in an update: "The safety of our patients, visitors and staff is our absolute priority and the team at Heatherwood has been working extremely hard with Kier and a range of experts to assess the impact of the damage and the level of remedial work required to thoroughly rectify it.
"We are currently looking at different opening scenarios that take into account the need for a hospital standard clean six weeks after the work is completed and the necessary staff training before we open to patients.
"The new Heatherwood Hospital is set to be a centre of excellence for planned care and will be one of the very best of its kind in the UK."
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Once complete, the new NHS hospital will provide six top-of-the-range operating theatres, a range of outpatient services and up-to-date diagnostics in a superb new building set into woodland.
The spokesman added: "At the end of August the project will reach a significant milestone with the upper two floors of the building being handed over for the final fit out.
"The precise timescales will be finalised shortly and we will communicate the exciting news regarding the official opening date during the next month [September]."
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