Berwick's new £35million hospital will include endoscopy and colposcopy services

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has provided an update on the scheme, which also includes the announcement that the building programme at the site being carried out by construction partner Merit is “on time and going to plan”.

The new services will be endoscopy (a test to look inside the body) and colposcopy (a specific test to take a closer look at the cervix).

Marion Dickson, Northumbria Healthcare’s executive director for nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals, who lives in Berwick, said: “With these additional services, it will be particularly helpful for patients that they will not have to travel a long way for their endoscopy and colposcopy appointments.

“Training for a number of our staff in these areas is underway so they will be ready for when the new hospital opens.

“We’re also excited that staff will be able to work in new facilities and that the new layouts will benefit patients. For example, there will be four-bedded bays but also some single rooms for when privacy is particularly important.”

Discussions are continuing about the possibility of adding other services such as audiology, dentistry and ophthalmology.

In addition, the Well Close Medical Group GP practice will be located at the new hospital site.

Steel frame construction work has been progressing well over recent weeks and teams are now working on the stairs and floors.

At the appropriate time, the offsite manufactured components will then be put in place and the buildings will be fitted out.

The final bit of demolition work at the site (what was known as ward 1) is taking place over the next couple of weeks.

Due to the fact the new hospital is being built next to its predecessor, in November a new, temporary ward was installed to ensure some of the inpatients could remain on the hospital site.

Marion said: “We are delighted that the building programme is on time and going to plan. The recent weather being kinder to us has helped.

“The structure for the main staircase being put in place about 10 days ago has been very useful in helping to familiarise ourselves with how it is taking shape.

“We’re very grateful to our staff and members of the public for their patience whilst the project progresses. For example, in getting on as best they can with the reduced parking at the moment.

“We would also like to thank the various local organisations who we have been out to see in recent weeks for their suggestions and feedback.”

The new hospital is due to fully open in the middle of 2025.

As part of the integrated care offering, the IT department has been involved so the new hospital has the capability for remote appointments with consultants where appropriate and community nursing staff seeing patients at home is also an important part of the service.