Capital Investment (Newcastle) (Hansard, 13 February 2004)

§ Miss Melanie Johnson

[holding answer 12 February 2004]: Planned and committed capital investment programmes in the area covered by Newcastle Primary Care Trust since 1997–98 are as follows.

1. Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals National Health Service Trust

Planned

A major private finance initiative (PFI) development, costing £220 million, will result in the transfer of acute services from Newcastle General Hospital to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) and Freeman Hospital. This will include a new cancer and renal care centre at the Freeman Hospital. At the RVI, there will be a new accident and emergency department, with all of the vital clinical supporting services accommodated together (for example, traumatic orthopaedics, neurosciences, diagnostic imaging and critical care), and a new children's wing. The Freeman Hospital developments are scheduled to open in mid-2006 and an opening date of late 2007 is scheduled for the developments at the RVI.

Committed/completed

A new children's intensive care unit and fracture clinic was opened in spring 2002 at a cost of £3 million.

A new 17-bed critical care unit at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle was completed in 2003 at a cost of £4.5 million.

New facilities for cleft lip and palate services were developed during 2002–03 at a cost of £1.4 million.

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The regional neurosciences centre at Newcastle General Hospital was improved and upgraded during 2002–03 at a cost of £l.2 million.

Facilities for dermatology patients were upgraded at the RVI during 2002–03, at a cost of £1.2 million.

A new energy centre at the RVI, costing £6.9 million and funded through the PFI, was opened during 2003.

A pharmacy manufacturing and stores scheme opened at the RVI during 2003 at a cost of £8.6 million.

A new antenatal clinic opened at the RVI during 2003. This was developed at a cost of £5.7 million.

Work has started on a multi-storey car park, funded through the PFI, costing £8 million, for completion in the autumn.

2. Northgate and Prudhoe NHS Trust

Planned

A £20 million Northern neuro disability centre is to be developed at Walkergate through the PFI. This is scheduled for completion in 2006 and will bring together current services at Hunters Moor Hospital, Newcastle, the Janie Heppell Unit and Annexe at Prudhoe Hospital and the Sanderson Centre and Hartside Unit at St. Nicholas Hospital, Newcastle. It will provide services for people with neuro disabilities caused by disease, illness or accident.

3. Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland Mental Trust NHS Trust

Planned

A £20 million development is planned at St. Nicholas Hospital in Newcastle to improve adult medium and low secure forensic psychiatry accommodation and provide a new personality disorder unit. This is scheduled for completion in 2007.

Committed/completed

A rehabilitation unit at St. Nicholas Hospital was reprovided in 2002 at a cost of £1.2 million, as well as accommodation for the neuropsychiatry service, at a cost of £2 million.

4. Newcastle Primary Care Trust

Committed

More than £5 million is to be spent using NHS local investment finance trust (LIFT) to provide modern health centres in Kenton, Walker and Brunton Park. This is part of a scheme that will eventually transform more than 25 outdated health centres and community facilities across Newcastle and North Tyneside.

In a separate scheme, a new doctors' surgery in the west end of Newcastle is being developed at a cost of £2 million. This is being done in partnership between Prospect Medical Group and Prime, a private sector development. Work started last year and was scheduled for completion in February 2004.

Planned

As above—the LIFT project will eventually result in major improvements to more than 25 health centres across Newcastle and North Tyneside.