Thousands more operations are expected to take place each year at Newark Hospital thanks to a £5.6million project to expand theatres. The state-of-the-art theatres will see an extra 2,600 operations and procedures undergone.
The Newark elective hub also promises to significantly reduce waiting times, improve patient experience, as well as create new jobs for nursing and healthcare staff amid a challenging few years since Covid-19 took hold. Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which manages the hospital, has said the investment is 'vital'.
The trust was awarded the money after a successful bid to NHS England’s Targeted Investment Fund (TIF). The expansion will also help to address health inequalities by providing services locally for patients who would previously have had to travel further for treatment.
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NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) is seeking support from Nottinghamshire County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee, which is due to consider the proposals on January 10. Preparation work is expected to start early in 2023, with the theatre expected to be on site in spring and in use from the summer.
David Ainsworth, director of strategy and partnerships for Sherwood Forest Hospitals and who oversees the trust’s running of Newark Hospital, said: “We know how much residents value Newark Hospital and we are committed to making best use of the site and further improving the services we provide and the speed in which people can access them. This project will enable us to carry out more procedures in Newark, making it much more convenient for patients to get the care they need and help them get back to living fuller lives, faster – without having to travel to King’s Mill or further afield.
“We are really keen for as many residents as possible to benefit from the wide range of procedures and services provided at Newark Hospital, so don’t forget to ‘Ask for Newark’ at the point of referral with your GP or when speaking to your hospital team.” Additional minor operations, which could include bladder investigations, prostate biopsies and injections for eye conditions, will take place in the current outpatient treatment room.
The funding will also provide new theatre equipment and storage space, as well as extra changing and rest facilities for staff. Councillor Sue Saddington, chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee, said: “This is very much welcome news and I am sure the residents of Newark, who speak very highly of the hospital, will be delighted to hear about this wide-ranging expansion project.
“£5.6m is a substantial investment and I am delighted they are bringing these vital services to Newark, which is a very good and efficient hospital, and means patients who live in the town will no longer have to travel elsewhere in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire for treatment and certain operations. This is something we, as a Health Scrutiny Committee, have been asking for and I am extremely happy with the level of commitment being shown by Sherwood Forest Hospitals to deliver a project which will be an asset for Newark and its people.
“I look forward to discussing the exciting proposals with my colleagues on the Health Scrutiny Committee when we meet early in the new year.”
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