New Jubilee Ward at St Mark's Hospital set for autumn 2026 opening

The new ward at St Mark’s Hospital in Maidenhead is set to open in autumn 2026 – replacing an old ward in Slough which is ‘no longer fit for purpose.’

NHS authorities began consulting over plans to relocate a short-stay inpatient ward in Slough to St Mark’s at the end of last year.

The move would see Jubilee Ward relocated from its base at Upton Hospital and ‘co-located’ with Henry Tudor Ward at St Mark’s.

The ward provides rehabilitation and discharge support for patients who need care between acute hospital and home. Similarly, Henry Tudor Ward at St Mark’s provides short-term rehabilitation.

The current situation is that the Jubilee Ward is ‘no longer fit for purpose’, having been built in the early 1900s.

To maintain clinical safety, bed capacity was reduced from 22 beds to 16, and it remains the case that the ward can no longer support patients with complex needs.

An independent appraisal of the options found that St Mark's ‘exceeded all Upton options’ on quality and longevity.

The benefits of the move include a ‘modern clinical environment and facilities.’ Co-locating wards will ‘increase access to more consultant and senior clinician time.’

There is thought to be more opportunity for patients and carers to discuss treatment and discharge plans, and better response times if patients need to be seen quickly.

Patients are therefore less likely to need to return to acute hospital care, NHS Frimley believes.

The new ward will have 21 beds, ensuite side rooms, and special bariatric beds for people living with severe obesity and in need of treatment for this.

There will also be an improved gym area and dining room, garden access for patients and visitors, and an improved staff rest area.

In considering moving the ward, the two trusts running each – Berkshire Healthcare NHS Trust and Frimley Health NHS Trust – considered which people mainly use Jubilee Ward.

Most patients are residents of Slough and the Royal Borough, the trusts found.

Between July and December 2023, an average of 53 per cent of Jubilee Ward admissions were not Slough residents.

In the same period, an average 18 per cent of Henry Tudor ward admissions were Slough residents.

About 40 ward staff are affected by a potential move – though Frimley representatives confirmed that the staff face no risk of job loss, remaining under the Berkshire trust.

Feedback on the move from patients was mixed – those currently staying in Jubilee Ward, and people living in Slough, tended towards preferring to keep services in Slough.

Those staying in Henry Tudor Ward, or living in Maidenhead, were more positive about the relocation, believing it is likely to improve St Mark’s.

For members of the public, there were concerns around transport implications and the availability of wider services in Slough.

Parking was a key concern, with responders expressing the need for adequate parking facilities.

The majority of visitors said that they visit every day and that they go to the wards by car. Those visiting Jubilee Ward from Maidenhead reported occasional issues with traffic and parking.

Visitors responding to the survey also reported access to physical rehabilitation and visibility of staff, should they need to flag them down.

All patients will continue to be transported to and from the ward by patient transport.

However, for visitors, especially those who cannot drive, transport concerns remain. St Marks ‘isn't easy to get to from Slough or Wexham’, noted one responder.

Speaking at an overview and scrutiny panel meeting yesterday (Monday, March 24), Cllr Clive Baskerville (Lib Dem, Pinkneys Green) echoed these concerns, saying it could be a ‘major problem’ for those who do not drive, given public transport services can be ‘variable.’

Asked if there was anything Frimley could do, its representatives highlighted that it is not within the trust’s remit to provide this transport, and it has ‘limited influence’ on what public transport options will be offered in the future.

Cllr Carole Da Costa (WWRA, Clewer and Dedworth West) asked that the two NHS trusts ensure that information and test results for patients are passed effectively between them, citing an example of an unwell man left in limbo by failures in this regard.

The new ward could open in autumn 2026, on current timelines – the formal engagement assessment is set to wrap up by end March 2025, and from approval, planning and construction is expected to take around 18 months.