Work has begun to build a new £3million critical care unit to treat the "sickest patients" coming through the doors at South Tyneside District Hospital.
The new unit will have six beds and house "state-of-the-art" facilities including "smart glass" and mirror a similar unit at Sunderland Royal Hospital. The "smart glass" means staff can switch glass between opaque - for privacy - and clear at the push of a button.,
It will be on the ground floor of the hospital's Ingham Wing and far bigger than the ageing facilities previously in place. Work should be complete by the end of this year, bosses at the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust said. It will also feature a brand new "family room" as part of an improved experience for visitors - and there will also be a staff changing room.
