Public drop-in session as new Berwick Community Hospital building to transform in the coming weeks

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is investing £35million to build the state-of-the-art Berwick Community Hospital. The Well Close Medical Group GP practice will be located within the building.

An update drop-in session is to be held on Thursday, June 26, between 10am and 2pm, at Berwick Town Hall.

The project is now moving into a phase that will see the remainder of the external glazing being fitted and the installation of the stone cladding. It is hoped that the external cladding will be fitted by the end of the summer.

Internally, room partitioning is underway along with the installation of the lifts and mechanical and electrical services.

Damon Kent, managing director of Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, said: “We are moving into a very exciting construction phase.

“People will be able to see the building transform as the cladding is fitted and the landscaping begins at the end of the summer. The site also now has its new electricity supply and is self-sufficient in this respect.

“While complex, this project continues to be very enjoyable to be involved in. It gives me a huge sense of satisfaction knowing the impact that the new hospital will have on both patient and staff experience.

“Everyone, I am sure, will appreciate the modern, bright and welcoming environment which is crucial when people are receiving or providing care. I would like to, once again, thank those that live and work in Berwick for their patience while this project continues.”

Work on the internal design is nearly complete. A significant amount of thought has gone into considering patients’ needs.

An example of this is the tailored finishes to walls and floors for patients with dementia. Art installations will help to calm patients and reduce stress and anxiety.

The heart of the hospital will be the services it provides. Focus and effort from many clinical and non-clinical teams at Northumbria Healthcare is enabling some services to return and additional services to be provided.

Marion Dickson, executive director of nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals, said: “We know how important it is to provide as many services as possible close to people’s homes and one of the key drivers for this is reducing the miles our patients need to travel.

“Some new and returning services coming to our hospital include audiology, dermatology, ear nose and throat (ENT), endoscopy and gynaecology. Services that we are exploring include colposcopy, elderly mental health, ophthalmology (including cataract surgery), oral surgery and orthopaedics (including spinal injections).

“Please be reassured that we are committed to providing as many services as possible from our new hospital. We must ensure that they are appropriate though as patient safety always needs to come first.

“I am very excited to see the transformation of the site on an almost daily basis, whether while on a walk or when I am working at the site.

“Without our dedicated and flexible staff, we couldn’t have achieved what we have so far – so thank you to each and every one of them.”