THE sexual health clinic at York District Hospital is to be moved - paving the way for York's new Cancer Care Haven.

Hospital managers today approved the £175,000 cost of transferring the genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic from the hospital's outpatients department to the Monkgate Health Centre.

It will form part of a comprehensive new family sexual health service to be based there.

Hospital deputy chief executive George Wood said the move meant the hospital could kill two birds with one stone.

He said: "It will achieve the objective of concentrating sexual health services at the Monkgate Health Centre.

"At the same time, it clears the way for the cancer haven development, which is very good news for patients, staff at the hospital itself and the many people who worked so hard through fundraising to provide the money."

Transfer of the clinic will mean big changes to the Monkgate centre, including altering reception and the community dental department to make way for the sexual health service.

The cost of the transfer had originally been put at £140,000 but has been increased following detailed planning.

Once the clinic has moved, work will begin on converting the corner of the hospital's outpatients department where it now is into the Cancer Care Haven.

The Haven, being paid for by nearly £120,000 raised by the people of York in last year's Evening Press/York Against Cancer appeal, should be open by the autumn.

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