PLANS have been submitted to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to build a temporary ward to create more space at Basingstoke hospital.

The application submitted by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is for the development of a temporary ward building for five years.

The building will accommodate increased bed demand and provide flexibility in the movement of patients until the future provision of acute services for patients in North and Mid Hants is decided.

The proposed site for the temporary extension is planned to be to the west of the Sherborne Building, and will connect directly to the main hospital building via a glazed single-storey covered walkway.

If the work is permitted the building will accommodate about 28 beds and associated wash room, toilets and associated facilities, such as nurse stations and store rooms.

Chief executive of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Alex Whitfield said: “This temporary unit will provide additional beds for patients who no longer require a high level of acute care.

“This will release space on the acute care wards for patients who need to be admitted to hospital.

“We continue to experience pressure on our hospitals and this is one of the measures we are putting in place to help manage the challenges.

“Our long-term solution is to centralise care for our sickest patients, but in the short term, this new unit will help to ease the pressure.”

The plans have been welcomed by cabinet member for communities and community safety councillor Simon Bound. He said: “This new site to the west and to the rear of the Sherborne Building does not remove any of the existing car park provision and is much more suitable than the site that has previously been suggested to the front of the building.

“This shows that we can all support the extension of NHS facilities when common sense prevails and car parking is not removed as a consequence.”