Northumberland MP marks start of works on £25m new hospital in Berwick following 20-year campaign

Anne-Marie Trevelyan met staff from Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust including chief executive Sir James Mackey.

Planning permission for the new hospital, to be built on the site of the town’s existing infirmary, was granted earlier this month.

Contractors Thompsons of Prudhoe have begun enabling works to prepare for the demolition of the vacant parts of the hospital next year which will pave the way for the new development on the northern end of the site.

The two-storey building will re-provide all the existing services with the addition of an accredited endoscopy suite to deliver care closer to people’s homes, and house GP practice Well Close Medical Group.

Ms Trevelyan said: “I am beyond excited to be here at those inaugural steps when the works start as we have probably campaigned for 20 years for the old infirmary to be replaced with a 21st century hospital.

“It is genuinely going to be transformative, not only for Berwick town itself but for the wider community as well to have a modern community hospital.

“This is such a fantastic moment as it fits with the wider commitment to the NHS to have modern facilities that will be able to deliver the safe healthcare that all my constituents need, and need to have locally.

“I’m really thrilled that Northumbria Healthcare has understood that commitment and have found the way to really push this project forwards.”

The current infirmary is no longer considered suitable for the efficient delivery of modern-day healthcare.

Sir James Mackey said: “A new hospital for Berwick is a really big part of what our trust is about by refreshing the buildings that we work in so they’re suitable for patients and staff, innovate where ever we can and help the local economy regenerate.

“This is a £25m investment for the community and we’ll try and make as much of that local employment as possible and, as always, there’s great innovation in design and construction. I’m delighted to see initial works begin.”

Cllr Catherine Seymour, local county councillor, added: “Berwick and all of the surrounding areas and communities will benefit. It will provide top class, fit-for-purpose healthcare to serve the public for generations.”

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