ONE year on from the official opening of the New Selby War Memorial Hospital patients and staff have praised the multi million- pound development.

The new hospital, which also houses Selby District Council’s offices, cost £22 million, paid for by a partnership between the NHS and the council, and took 18 months to build.

After being in the planning stages for many years, the first patients were moved into the hospital on June 20 last year, while council workers moved into their new Civic Centre last August.

Officials said this week that the transition had been a challenge, but well handled.

Julie Corbally, site co-ordinator for the hospital, said: “The move and subsequent months settling in the clinical and non-clinical teams and changing operational procedures to suit the new building was challenging, but all have settled down and are working well together.

“The hospital is light, colourful and spacious and we are very proud of this facility for Selby and District. Staff and patients love the new facilities. One patient commented that it was like staying in a four-star hotel.”

During its development, the hospital was at the centre of a major row in the community, when developers proposed dropping the war memorial name, leading to a public poll which overwhelmingly voted against changing the name.

Margaret Hewer, the former chairman of the Friends of Selby War Memorial Hospital, who helped campaign to keep the name, said: “I think it’s wonderful.

“There was a little bit of sorting out to do at the beginning, but they soon got over that.

“Personally, whatever I have had done there has been done very well.

“Everything I’ve experienced has definitely made me think it’s a worthy successor to the old hospital, and the staff are very good, very helpful.

“I think it’s been a real success.”

Carol Robson, current chairman of the group, said: “We get a lot of positive feedback from patients about the hospital and the Friends.”