Residents and councillors welcome construction starting on hospital project in Berwick and stress importance of getting new services

Work to level the site and dig out the hospital footprint will start within the next few weeks and should be done by early summer. The foundations will then be laid and the steel frame of the building will be erected.

Information and images about the programme, including the process of building infrastructure off-site to make the construction process quicker, were on display at a drop-in event in the William Elder Building last Thursday organised by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and project partners Merit Health and Turner & Townsend.

Although the reaction was very positive, the importance of adding new services was also stressed. There will be a new endoscopy suite and colposcopy, audiology and dental services are among those being considered.

Berwick West with Ord county councillor Isabel Hunter said: “The new state-of-the-art building will be good news for the residents of Berwick and surrounding areas.

“It will reduce the travel time and costs to access services, which will be delivered locally. One of the local GP practices (Well Close) will be located in the new hospital, which will allow a joined-up service.

“However, I ask the NHS to please provide and deliver as many services as possible locally in our new hospital to reduce the carbon footprint, as well as reduce the long drive to access appointments and basic services.

“We have well-trained staff who can provide the services and we should be encouraging school leavers to enter the medical profession as this is a win, win for everyone.”

Coun Georgina Hill, Berwick East, said: “It is great news and a relief that construction has now begun – there are not many places in the country getting new hospitals.

“Given what has gone on over the last decade or so, residents have been understandably cynical about whether we would ever get our new hospital.

“It is totally unacceptable that residents have to travel significant distances for even routine matters and struggle to get a GP appointment. How much the new hospital will close the service gap is yet to be seen and something we need to continue to fight for.”

It is hoped that the new hospital will open towards the end of next year.

Once the main build is complete, demolition of the remaining old hospital buildings, with the exception of the clock tower, will be carried out.

Coun Catherine Seymour, Berwick North, said: “Many attended the drop-in event to see the plans and drawings and it is pleasing to see the care, attention and dedication of the NHS wanting to provide the very best facilities for our community.

“There are still some decisions to be made on some of the surrounding buildings, to include the Bell Tower, and there could be some exciting plans on the horizon for its future use.”

A spokesperson for the A Better Hospital For Berwick (ABHFB) campaign group said at the drop-in: “Progress certainly seems very promising. The intention to target services which reduce patient travel is particularly positive.

“The new Northumbria NHS team definitely understands what matters most to everyone living locally. Reassuringly, they repeatedly stressed their commitment to keeping the public fully informed and involved.

“ABHFB will happily pass on to people any further information the new team shares.”

Hilary Murray-Brown from Well Close Medical Group said: “To have the GPs working from within the hospital is fantastic. It will ensure all aspects of initial patient care will be on the one site.”

A retired couple who attended said: “Very impressive architecturally. All I have heard is positive and that it will be a great facility for Berwick.”

Another visitor queried whether there would be sufficient car parking spaces and was told that this may be a problem in the initial stages, but not when completion was reached.

Mark Brough, Merit Health’s project manager, said: “Work has already started off site.

“The archaeological dig, although a necessity, has held up progress on site – but some fascinating artefacts have been discovered.”

Northumbria Healthcare has also been reassuring residents that it is mindful a project of this nature and size, and the location of where the new hospital is to be built, will cause disruption and it will do everything it can to minimise this.