Relocation of Jubilee Ward – A short stay community in-patient ward
NHS Frimley and Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust have been conducting a detailed review of options regarding the relocation of Jubilee Ward, a well-regarded community in-patient ward, currently based within Upton Hospital, Slough that offers essential short-term care and discharge support for patients with diverse needs. Patients on Jubilee Ward are people living with frailty, long term conditions, reduced mobility and those suffering with dementia or confusion.
This community in-patient ward provides post-acute care, helping patients transition from hospital stays to either returning home or moving into further care settings. Jubilee Ward is currently based on the top floor of Upton Hospital in Slough. The ward was built in the early 1900s and is one of the last remaining Nightingale wards in the country. The ward's relocation is necessary to ensure that it continues to operate in a safe and accessible way whilst remaining financially and environmentally sustainable and providing the best care and health outcomes for patients.
To address this, NHS Frimley and Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust have been working collaboratively to consider a number of options (an options appraisal) with the preferred option being a relocation to St Marks Hospital, Maidenhead. This would co-locate the ward with an existing community inpatient ward (Henry Tudor Ward), improving quality and experience for patients and staff. Patients are already travelling from Slough to Maidenhead for community in patient care. This is also true for patients travelling from Maidenhead to Slough. This location makes use of existing NHS space and will be fully refurbished to create a modern, welcoming ward. The project timeline is being finalised, with the aim to open the ward in Spring 2026.
Work has now begun to talk to staff, patients and their family members/carers, the wider public and key stakeholders including the local authority, councillors and MPs. Listening and responding to patients, carers, staff and residents is a priority throughout this planning process. A series of engagement activities will be held with key stakeholders, including patients, families, staff, and community members. This engagement will allow for transparency, provide reassurance, and ensure that any concerns are heard and considered as part of the decision-making process.
We are very interested to hear from those who are current patients or the family, friends or carers of current patients or recent inpatients of either Jubilee Ward at Upton Hospital or Henry Tudor Ward at St Marks Hospital in Maidenhead. Wider members of the public are also welcome to share their views and feed into the process, you can find out how to feedback below.
A series of engagement activities will also be held throughout the Autumn. We are planning that this engagement takes place between mid-October and mid-December and so if you have any existing opportunities for members of the project team to attend meetings, forums or community events we would be happy to come along and provide further details and gather views. Please let us know via this email address: frimleyicb.insight@nhs.net
Further updates on progress will be shared on this webpage as key decisions are made.
If you would like to share your views please find the links in the expandable box below and we have also provided a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
We are very interested to hear form those who are current patients or the family, friends or carers of current patients or recent inpatients of the Jubilee ward or Henry Tudor Ward. If you are an interested member of the public but do not fit the criteria above you can still share your views via the survey links below.
Please complete this survey if you are a family member, friends and/or carer of someone who has stayed in or is currently staying in Jubilee Ward, Slough or Henry Tudor Ward, Maidenhead
If you wish to support a current patient of either ward to provide their feedback you can do so using this patient feedback survey.
Please complete this survey if you are a member of the public who wishes to share your views.
Jubilee Ward at Upton Hospital, Slough is a community in-patient ward primarily accessed by patients from across East Berkshire. It is a short-stay ward which cares for a range of patients with different needs, providing support and discharge planning when they no longer need acute hospital care but still need some support before they return home or move to a residential care setting. Patients on Jubilee ward are mainly older people living with frailty, long term conditions, reduced mobility and those suffering with dementia or confusion.
Jubilee Ward is currently based on the top floor of Upton Hospital in Slough. The ward was built in the early 1900s and is one of the last remaining Nightingale wards in the country. Due to its age and top floor location, a number of measures have had to be taken to ensure all clinical and health and safety requirements are fully met.
This includes:
- Increasing staff levels
- Limiting the type of patients we are able to admit (for example, we can no longer accept bariatric patients or people with dementia)
- Reducing the number of beds on the ward from 22 to 16
This puts various pressures on the system, including increased costs and reduced flow of patients, which is not sustainable for the future.
This has collectively led to the decision to find an alternative, longer-term solution for this ward.
The detailed project timeline is being finalised and will be shared here in due course but the aim is to open the new ward in 2026.
NHS Frimley in partnership with Berkshire Health Foundation Trust has devised a clear plan for communications and engagement with patients, families, friends, carers and the wider public to ensure that the stages of the process are clear and providing the opportunity for comment and feedback. This includes the information on this webpage, surveys being completed by current patients (with the support of ward staff), visitors and the wider public, stakeholder briefings for local Councillors and MPs, attendance at a range of community forums and meetings and engagement with staff across both sites.
The service model will remain the same. The new, up to date facilities available, which are not available at the Upton site will include: outside space, separate dining area, same level physio/rehab space, specialist bariatric room. Canteen on site for visitors and staff .
No disruption is anticipated – Patients are unlikely to move from one location to another. If needed, steps will be taken to minimise disruptions to patient care during transition of service to new site.
A plan will be in place to handle admissions that occur close to or during the relocation, ensuring that no patient experiences disruption in their care.
There is no anticipated impact on patient safety. BHFT have online patient platforms which are already accessible and in use on the St Mark’s site. Governance processes are in place across all community inpatient wards and would be adhered to in the new location.
Yes. Co-located wards (Henry Tudor Ward and the new ward) on one site will allow for better medical cover and reduction of travel across two sites for senior clinical leaders .
BHFT will provide regular updates and meetings with the staff who are affected by the relocation. Staff will be supported through a consultation process. Wellbeing support and operational development will be offered to all team members. Staffing facilities will be improved on the new site, with better access to meeting rooms, staff spaces, changing rooms, on site canteen and new equipment.
There is no anticipated change in visiting hours as these are standardised across all BHFT inpatient units. There are more parking facilities available at St Mark’s hospital. Ground level ward access and more private space to visit patients and speak confidentially to clinicians will be available at St Marks site.
There are no parking charges at St Marks Hospital. This is not currently anticipated to change.
The service will remain at Jubilee Ward until the new ward is open.