Publish date: 18 October 2024
This week saw the official opening of a new state of the art Oncology Day Unit at Hexham General Hospital.
The new unit has been built as part of the ongoing redevelopment programme at Hexham General Hospital. Special guest, TV Presenter and Hairy Biker Si King was invited along to officially cut the ribbon. He was joined by 12 patients who are currently receiving treatment at the unit, to mark the occasion.
Si said: ““As soon as I arrived on the unit I was met with a bunch of really friendly faces – the bond that the staff have with the patients is so heart warming to see. We heard first hand experiences from patients who are currently undergoing treatment which was incredibly emotional. It was an absolute privilege to be invited along to the opening of the day unit and meet some truly inspirational people. The local communities within Hexham and beyond deserve to be able to access care like this closer to home, at what must be such a difficult time in their lives. Well done Northumbria NHS – keep up the brilliant work.”
The purpose-built unit will deliver high quality, holistic, patient-centred care to the West of Northumberland. Patients spend a lot of time on the unit receiving treatment and the need to provide an environment that is fit for purpose with more staff, increased clinical workspace and support services has become more evident over the last decade.
Marie Edmonds, manager of the unit said: “I have been with the Oncology service here at Hexham for over 12 years and feel privileged to work with such a passionate and committed team. The development programme has given us state of the art facilities which will allow us to continue deliver outstanding care for our patients for years to come. The official opening of the unit was incredibly emotional – it marked our journey so far as we heard from patients about their experiences and the impact the service has had on their lives. We look forward to continuing to care for the people of Hexham and beyond who need us most.”
In the previous unit, the service treated 365 patients between January and December 2023, issuing a total of 7348 prescriptions. Patients spend a lot of time on the unit receiving treatment and the need to provide an environment that is fit for purpose with more staff, increased clinical workspace and support services has become more evident over the last 10-15 years.
One of those patients is Anita Holbrow who is currently receiving treatment from the team in Hexham. She said: “I’ve been visiting the Oncology Unit every four weeks since 2011 – the team are like a second family to me. Over those 13 years, I have seen the facilities really evolve to what we have today – a tranquil space where we can relax whilst we receive our treatment. What the team do for their patients is absolutely remarkable and I would like to pass on a heartfelt thank you to all of those who continue to care for us.”
The new unit is part of a wider redevelopment programme at Hexham. It is being delivered in partnership with Identity Consult and Integrated Health Projects (IHP), a joint venture between VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine, as construction consultancy and principal contractor. Over the past two years, £15 million has been invested to deliver the work that has been completed to date.
John Ward, project manager, IHP, said: "As IHP celebrates 20 years of successfully delivering healthcare projects, the completion of phase 2 of the programme to improve facilities at Hexham General Hospital is yet another exemplar of collaboration and sets a new benchmark for future projects. It showcases the remarkable outcomes that can be realised when a team is fully engaged and aligned with a shared vision.”
Completion of phase one includes a brand-new maternity unit featuring state of the art technology to improve the birthing experience of expectant mums. The completion of phase two includes an upgraded Oncology Day unit with five treatment spaces providing a total of 16 chairs for patients. A purpose-built women’s health suite, consisting of redesigned clinical rooms with en-suite facilities and a recovery area to make one stop treatment more comfortable for its patients.
The brand-new endoscopy facility replaces the old maternity unit and features two procedure rooms, two recovery rooms as well as multiple utility rooms. The dentistry and oral surgery department has been upgraded and now consists of two major and two minor surgery rooms as well as offices for consultants. It also features a dedicated children’s area as the unit is used to treat children with additional needs.
The third and final phase of the programme will see the hospital’s current four operating theatres fully refurbished to create a fantastic, modern resource at Hexham that will support innovations like robotic surgery which is proving so successful for patients at other hospital sites managed by Northumbria Healthcare.
Simon Allan, director at Identity Consult said: “Attending the official opening event for the new Oncology department was both a joyful and humbling experience. Ultimately, we believe all capital projects should be measured on the positive impact they deliver for people; so to hear real life examples of this from patients and staff was truly inspiring and we, at Identity Consult, are just delighted to have played a part in this alongside a fantastic project team and client.”
Finally, Jonny Watson, Deputy Director - Commercial and Capital Projects for Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management said: “It’s a real privilege to have been invited to the opening to mark a significant milestone in the redevelopment of Hexham General Hospital, a project that reflects our unwavering commitment to enhancing healthcare in the community. We’ve been able to use the opportunity to address backlog maintenance and enhance sustainability performance and credentials of the site. These upgraded facilities will benefit staff, patients and the local community for years to come.”