Three new major developments are underway at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust following approval of their Care Environment Development and Re-Provision (CEDAR) programme.
The Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England & NHS Improvement Joint Investment Committee, and HM Treasury have approved the full business case for the project, which seeks to significantly improve the offering to patients on three hospital sites across the region.
The key aim of the developments is to increase patient and staff safety and improve the quality of care by “radically improving and replacing key elements of the Trust’s building estate” to create “realm centres of excellence” for in-patient care for young people and adults with significant mental health and learning disability needs.
The project includes the redevelopment of Northgate Hospital, Morpeth, the reconfiguration of the Ferndene Unit in Prudhoe, and the reconfiguration and pre-provision of the mental health adult acute inpatient services at St Nicholas Hospital’s Bamburgh Unit, Gosforth.
The redevelopment of Northgate Hospital comes as part of the government’s Health Infrastructure Plan, which aims to deliver 48 new hospitals by 2030. According to Nadine Dorries, minister for Mental Health, “The North East will be one of the first regions to benefit from the biggest hospital building project in a generation as part of our commitment to deliver 48 hospitals by 2030, backed by a £3.7 billion investment to build back better.”
The new developments will combine innovative design with a “holistic” approach to patient care and safety—plans for Northgate feature a new medium-secure inpatient unit as well as gardening and outdoor sports areas.
Estimates suggest that a £72.6 million budget will be required to undertake the development of all three projects, £54.2 million of which will be funded by the Government.
Additional funds will come from the sale of Trust-owned land and from money that the Trust has set aside for capital investment.
