Staff at the University Hospital of North Tees are enjoying an early Christmas gift with the completion of a major estates project.
Works began in February 2024 to build a robotic surgery theatre with an adjacent training room and a new emergency maternity theatre and recovery space.
The first phase of the works, which created the new theatres by building on the space above an atrium, was completed in April 2024.
The design and development team were straight back to work and have now completed the next phase of the works which include a new 11-bed recovery space for post operative patients, staff changing rooms, staff room, toilets, storage areas and an access corridor.
Costing some £6.5M in total, the works are now complete and the new area was handed back to staff in time for Christmas.
Ambitious
Alison Coates, senior operations manager, said: “While the works began in early 2024, our planning began years before that. Projects like this are a group effort and everyone from clinical staff and estates worked together to bring this to life.
“The plan involved building an entirely new section one floor above ground level to bridge a gap over a courtyard. To say it was ambitious is an understatement.”
NTH Solutions’ design and development manager Jordan Pearson commented: “If we could have gift wrapped the new theatres and changing rooms, we would have!
“We work hand-in-hand with clinical colleagues to disrupt services as little as possible and that our end product will serve our patients. It’s been a long project as we worked hard to adapt the space into a theatre suite fit for the future.
“I’d like thank building contractor Geoffrey Robinson Ltd. for their expertise and incredible work.”
Thanking colleagues for support
Consultant surgeon Anil Agarwal said: “On behalf of the project management team I would like to thank all our theatre staff for their support during the building works and our colleagues who contributed to the design and planning. I would especially like to thank staff in the children’s emergency department and the switchboard who were disrupted while the works took place.
“Patients are already benefitting from the new operating theatres and now patient care and flow will improve with the new recovery. The new facilities will give theatre staff a better working environment.”
Proud
Andy Talbot, MD of Geoffrey Robinson, said: “We are extremely proud to have delivered this complex project at the University Hospital of North Tees.
“Working within a live hospital environment always presents unique challenges, and this scheme was particularly ambitious given the need to construct new clinical spaces around existing infrastructure.
“Delivered over two years, in collaboration with the hospital’s estates and clinical teams, this long-term scheme has been real testament to the dedication and teamwork shown by everyone.”