Work to start on state-of-the-art hospital unit

Work to build a state-of-the-art day care surgery and imaging centre at a hospital in North Yorkshire is due to start in the new year.

Construction at Harrogate District Hospital would get under way in February and once completed it would house, among other things, two new operating theatres, treatment rooms and a day case ward, the trust which runs the hospital said.

Due to open in 2026, it would take the place of the former Therapy Services unit, demolished earlier this year as part of work to remove unsafe Raac concrete from the site, a trust spokesperson said.

Jonathan Coulter, from Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT), said the new facility was a "significant development".

The unit would include two MRI scanners, two CT scanners, three x-ray rooms, seven ultrasound scanners, bone density scans and fluoroscopy, which produces real-time footage of tissue and organs inside the body, according to HDFT.

Mr Coulter, the trust's chief executive, said: "We know people who need treatment can be concerned about how long it will be before they are seen.

"The new facilities will allow us to increase elective capacity, so we can undertake more operations and treatment, thereby bringing down waiting times."

As part of the development, the hospital's imaging equipment would also be updated, Mr Coulter said.

"This state-of-the-art technology will significantly enhance our diagnostic capabilities, providing faster, more accurate, results which, in turn, leads to quicker treatment and improved patient care."

The relocation of Therapy Services, the demolition of the old building, and the construction of the new facility was being undertaken as part of a £50m capital investment funded by HDFT and NHS England, the trust said.

Throughout the construction, existing services would be maintained and impact for patients, visitors, staff and the local community would be kept to a minimum, a spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the building work would be self-contained and would not affect access to other areas of the hospital, they added.

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