Hospital vision

In the first phase of the work, a new £7.75 million ophthalmology and diabetes and endocrine centre, with medical illustration facilities, will be built near the dining hall.

And £1 million will be spent on a new retail centre for patients, staff and visitors in a new reception hall.

This phase is expected to be completed in spring 2003, and then work will roll on to gut the whole of the ground floor of the hospital and give it a complete makeover.

Simon Pleydell, chief executive of York Health Services NHS Trust, said work will begin on the new clinical building in March and the entrance scheme in April. And work to revamp the ground floor wards and facilities will take place on a rolling basis over the next six years.

He said it was the largest single investment at the hospital since it opened in 1976. "The whole hospital needs a new make-over.

"We can't deliver quality health care out of an inappropriate environment.

"If we provide a good environment it gives people confidence in the hospital and boosts staff morale. It can also increase patient recovery times. There will be some inconvenience for the public and staff while the work is going on and I hope people will bear with us."

The new development will accommodate a purpose-built eye department which will include two dedicated eye theatres, an eye ward and outpatient facilities with associated offices. It will increase clinical capacity, improve efficiency and provide modern up-to- date facilities in which to see patients. In particular one objective is to increase the amount of cataract surgery done in York.

The larger, modernised diabetes and endocrine centre is a long-awaited development, supported by the local branch of Diabetes UK.

After the building work starts for phase one, work will begin on expanding the Day Surgery and Treatment unit.

The redevelopment follows a £2 million makeover for the accident and emergency unit in 2000.

Updated: 10:35 Saturday, February 23, 2002