The Friarage Hospital’s new surgical hub is starting to take shape with the first bricks now firmly in place.
Rishi had the honour of laying - and signing - one of the first bricks on the impressive new structure.
He was joined by Sarah Baker, head of clinical services for peri-operative medicine, theatres and critical care medicine, and James Dunbar, clinical collaborative chair for the Friarage and community services, who also had the opportunity to put their brick laying skills to the test.
The new £35.5m surgical hub, which is due to open in 2025, will enable the Northallerton hospital to more than double the number of planned operations it carries out each year.
It will replace the hospital’s five existing operating theatres with a modern surgical hub that will include six main operating theatres, two minor operating theatres, and a surgical admissions unit and day hub.
The structural steel framework of the new building and concrete floor slabs are now complete, with façade brickwork, steel framing and cladding systems to all elevations currently in progress.
Rishi said: "It's fantastic to see the work that has already been completed on this important project for the future of our Friarage Hospital.
"I look forward to seeing it finished early in 2025 and operating by the spring of next year. The surgical hub is a vital element in the development of the hospital, ensuring that it continues to serve our community and bringing hospital services closer to patients."
James Dunbar said: “It is fantastic to see the first brick being laid in our surgical hub which will provide world-class facilities for our patients for decades to come.”
Sarah Baker added: “The new surgical hub will be an exciting to place to work, in a fantastic new environment.
“It’s an opportunity for the local population to have their operations closer to home and we’ll have state-of-the-art facilities with market-leading technologies.”
