Wes Streeting visits Royal Berkshire Hospital
He was shown around a new urology unit which is due to open in July
Last updated 21st May 2025
The health secretary has visited the Royal Berkshire Hospital to tour one of its new blocks before opening.
Wes Streeting, the Labour government health secretary, visited the hospital in Reading to tour the new Urology Department, which is due to open in July.
Once complete, the department will provide a place to conduct elective (planned) treatments.
Mr Streeting was joined by Olivia Bailey, the Labour MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire, Yuan Yang, the Labour MP for Earley and Woodley, and Matt Rodda, the Labour MP for Reading Central.
They welcomed the government’s record investment in the NHS, which is being used to bring down the appointment backlog, improve the current estate and fully fund the New Hospitals Programme to secure the NHS for the future.
Mr Streeting also visited the radiography department before rejoining MPs to speak about the rebuild of the hospital, which has been confirmed and fully funded by the government.
Labour politicians have attacked the previous government’s approach to the programme, arguing that the Conservatives promised to build 40 new hospitals without setting aside the money to pay for these projects.
By contrast, the Labour government has announced that £15 billion of investment spread over consecutive five-year waves.
After meeting with Mr Streeting, the three Labour MPs said: “We would like to thank the staff at the Royal Berks for the amazing work that they are doing.
“The government was voted in with a mandate to build an NHS fit for the Future, and improvements such as the new Urology Department are vital to ensure that we continue to harness the best new technology.
“It was good to restate the importance to the health secretary of the new Royal Berkshire hospital being built as soon as possible, which starts by getting on with the land purchase for the new site.
“Instead of unfunded, empty promises from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, this government has set out a clear and budgeted plan to build a new Royal Berks, continue to bring down waiting lists and build an NHS fit for the future.”
The government’s £15 billion investment for the new hospital programme was announced in January.
The Royal Berkshire Hospital new build will be one of the last projects to begin between 2037 and 2039.
The project was initially delayed by the Conservative government until 2031. This delay was after a spending review was conducted in July 2023.
Seven hospitals were added to the project in September of that year after ‘crumbling’ RAAC concrete was found to be used in the buildings of these hospitals.