Congratulations Calli! Catering assistant shortlisted for Pride of Britain Award

Catering assistant, Calli Tully, was shortlisted for a Pride of Britain award in the ‘ITV Fundraiser of the Year’ category for her fundraising to support children undergoing treatment on Ward 23 at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

Calli began her charity, Calli’s Heart Campaign, after to her own experience as a patient on the ward when she underwent open heart surgery in December 2014.

Throughout her stay, she was taken aback by the number of children who would not be making it home in time for Christmas and so in setting up Calli’s Heart Campaign, she was able to raise money to bring Christmas into the hospital.

Initially, the purpose of fundraising was to buy Christmas gifts for the children but since the charity’s supporters grew to numbers much bigger than she ever expected, she’s able to bring goodie bags to children during various annual events such as Easter, Valentine’s Day and their birthdays.

Now Calli is holding regular fundraisers and has recently launched the ‘Reach Out’ campaign to directly support patients’ families to help with christenings, holidays, accommodation, food assistance and more.

Speaking about the campaign, Calli said: “My campaign has become so much more than I ever imagined and because of this I have been able to help so many children bringing them joy and happiness in their darkest times and their families.”

Calli is continuing to fundraise with hopes for the future to raise enough money to be able to purchase a holiday home for children and their families to spend time in once they have finished receiving their treatment.

The Northumbria Health and Care Academy has triumphed at the 2024 Healthy City Design Awards, winning the Healthy Workplaces Award in recognition of its innovative design and impactful contributions to enhancing well-being in the workplace.

The £32m Academy is one of the first of its kind in the country, providing a centre of training excellence training for nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals just steps away from the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital.

It is recognised as a pioneering model for educating, featuring state-of-the-art facilities, innovative training spaces and specialised environments that promote workforce well-being. It also represents a major investment in the future, creating new opportunities for the workforce and the wider community.

Commenting on this achievement project designer and Health Lead Sharon Cook shared,

“We are thrilled that the Health and Care Academy has won this award! It’s fantastic to see a healthcare building gaining recognition, competing against many other types of workplaces in this category. We are so proud to have been involved in the design and delivery of this project which provides enormous benefit for the Trust and its workforce at a time when the wellbeing challenges faced by the NHS staff workforce are really in the spotlight.”

Damon Kent, managing director of Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management was thrilled with the news about the award. Damon said: “This is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved in the development of the Health and Care Academy and especially P + HS Architects. The academy has been open for five months now and we have had lots of positive feedback from staff and also the students who have started their healthcare journey at the facility.”

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has achieved Silver Accreditation with the national environmental accreditation scheme, iiE (Investors in the Environment). 

The Investors in the Environment (iiE) accreditation is a prestigious recognition awarded to organisations demonstrating exceptional commitment to improving their sustainability efforts. Achieving the Silver level is a testament to Northumbria Healthcare’s continuous efforts to promote sustainability throughout the trust.

The trust originally applied to achieve Bronze Accreditation but due to ongoing efforts to improve sustainability, they surpassed the level for Bronze and achieved Silver Accreditation with a score of 77%.

To achieve Silver level accreditation, an organisation must continue to develop and implement its Environmental Management System and put forward a range of projects that will support continual improvement in resource and carbon management. Silver accredited organisations will also need to implement a travel plan, improve upon waste management practices and manage staff communication and engagement.

Clare Winter, head of sustainability said: “We’re delighted to have achieved this prestigious accreditation. The climate crisis is a health emergency and one of the biggest health challenges faced by our community. At Northumbria Healthcare, we have made our Net Zero action plan a priority to help us achieve Net Zero status by 2040.

“Securing the silver level accreditation from iiE is an incredible achievement. Since developing our Net Zero action plan we have had excellent buy-in from our senior management and board of directors supporting the agenda. Our wider staff have also been heavily involved with our Net Zero journey who have supported our developments and have embraced change to help us achieve our sustainability goals. I hope our success will inspire others to consider how they can adapt their ways of working to improve their sustainability efforts.”

Birju Bartoli, chief executive of Northumbria Healthcare said: “I am incredibly proud of our sustainability team who have shown passion, hard work and dedication and have helped the trust achieve this accreditation. There have been many achievements over the past year that have helped us reach this milestone including the decarbonisation project at North Tyneside General Hospital which will hopefully reduce carbon emissions by 75% at the site.

“This accreditation demonstrates our commitment to improving our sustainability efforts to not only benefit our environment but also the health of our staff, patients and local communities.”

Most recently, the trust signed a commitment alongside the North East Ambulance Service and Newcastle Hospitals to stop the idling of ambulances and vehicles after patient drop-off at the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital. The commitment aims to reduce the number of vehicles that leave their engines running whilst stationary and this has been introduced into staff and public car parks also.

Future projects planned in line with the trust’s net zero action plan include advancing waste management processes and expanding their ‘Net Zero Hero’ programme which is a group staff can join. Members are passionate about improving sustainability in the trust and want to reduce environmental impacts in their departments.

Media contact 

Emily Lavin, marketing and communications officer

emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk

The Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation Hub, which is part of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, has been recognised for its efforts to promote social value through being nominated for a national award.

The Made in Britain Impact Awards have officially listed their finalists for this year with the Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation Hub being nominated in the Social Impact category.

The prestigious awards were launched in 2022 to recognise and celebrate achievements in UK manufacturing.

The Manufacturing and Innovation Hub was the result of a project launched at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic to meet the sudden, growing demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical equipment. Since its launch in 2020, capacity and capability at the hub have expanded rapidly and they are now producing a range of products including scrubs, theatre hoods, gowns and pillows.

In addition to manufacturing healthcare garments and equipment, the team at the Manufacturing and Innovation Hub have led in many initiatives to support the trust’s Community Promise. This is a formal pledge from Northumbria Healthcare to focus on all the ways it can improve people’s lives based on six key pillars which relate to the wider factors that fuel health inequalities – poverty, employment, education, economy, environment and well-being.

Due to factory closures within the Northumberland area, young people have moved away from pursuing textiles as a career. In response to this, the hub set up an apprenticeship scheme which has enabled people to gain the skills they need to become sewing machinists, textile cutters, warehouse workers and upholsterers. Michael Kildare is currently undertaking his second apprenticeship with the Manufacturing and Innovation Hub; “My role as an upholstery apprentice means I am always learning and expanding my skills and knowledge. Working in a manufacturing setting but for the NHS means that profit is not the main goal and a huge part of what we do is about giving back to those in need.”

In 2023, the team were proud to play a small part in helping those in Ukraine by creating 10,000 blankets to send to those in need. They have also donated surplus PPE (scrubs, gloves and gowns) and wheelchairs to Pickups 4 Peace, a charity dedicated to supplying aid to the people of Ukraine.

Most recently, they welcomed students from Bede Academy as part of a day to highlight careers in healthcare textile manufacturing. The visit provided students with an opportunity to experience careers within the NHS that aren’t healthcare focused, which is a common misconception around careers in the NHS. As part of this project, the hub has also supplied local schools with excess fabric to use in their textile departments and donated surplus furniture to re-kit common rooms and training rooms. This engagement with young people has helped the Manufacturing Hub raise awareness of them as employers and also of the textile industry as a whole.

Reflecting on the news about being finalists, general manager of the Manufacturing and Innovation Hub, Ian Garrett said: “This is a fantastic achievement for all the team. The Manufacturing and Innovation Hub was born in the early days of the pandemic to help local supply of PPE, and it is amazing to see how the hub has grown since then.

“This achievement not only demonstrates how we have grown in our capacity and capability but also how we are pushing the boundaries to help our local and wider communities. We look forward to finding out the results of the awards and continuing to grow our corporate social responsibility endeavours.”

Collette Cunningham, deputy director at Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, also expressed her delight about the news: “I am immensely proud of all the team at the Manufacturing and Innovation Hub on this award nomination. This reflects the hard work and dedication from the team to not only create high-quality PPE and uniforms for NHS colleagues across the country but also their commitment to improve the lives of those in our local and wider communities in whatever way they can.”

Media contact 

Emily Lavin, marketing and communications officer

emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk

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.”

Three historical stones have been placed on the grounds of North Tyneside General Hospital to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the hospital.

Jim Selby, electrical craftsperson who works for Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, noticed the historical stones laying in the yard and suggested they became a feature of the hospital for patients and staff to visit.

The stones were part of the original foundations of the Victoria Jubilee Infirmary with the foundation stone laid on the 21 June 1887.

Talking about the discovery of the stones, Jim said: “I found the bricks when doing some clearing out in the yard at North Tyneside and thought they looked interesting. After some research we found that they we’re part of the original foundations of the hospital dating back to 1887.

“We knew we couldn’t get rid of them and wanted them to feature in the hospital for staff and visitors to see. Coincidentally, North Tyneside General Hospital was marking its 40^th anniversary September and thought this would be brilliant opportunity to celebrate the milestone.”

The stones were placed by Jim alongside chief executive of Northumbria Healthcare Birju Bartoli on Wednesday 18 September, the official anniversary of North Tyneside General Hospital.

The stones can be viewed by staff and visitors of the hospital in the Haven Garden at the site.

Media contact

Emily Lavin, marketing and communication officer

emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk

A new sustainability action plan made by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been recognised for its efforts after being announced as a finalist for a top national award.

The prestigious IWFM Impact Awards 2024 have officially listed their finalists for this year, with the Net Zero Northumbria team being nominated in the Positive Climate Action – Towards Net Zero category.

The IWFM (Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management) Impact Awards is the workplace and facilities management industry’s most prestigious event, celebrating and showcasing outstanding best practice and ingenuity from the profession.

The trust launched its Net Zero Northumbria action plan in early 2024 to help tackle climate change and achieve net zero status by 2040. The two-year plan sets out the commitment of the trust to reaching net zero for its carbon emissions. The plan incorporates sustainability pledges on different areas of the trust including buildings & estates, travel, waste, healthcare and people. Currently, the NHS contributes to around 4-5% of the UK’s total carbon emissions.

There have been many projects completed over the past year that contribute to the Net Zero action plan including the completion of a major decarbonisation project at North Tyneside General Hospital. This project aims to reduce carbon emissions by 75%.

Most recently, the trust has signed a commitment alongside the North East Ambulance Service to stop the idling of ambulances after patient drop-off at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital. The commitment aims to reduce the number of vehicles that leave their engines running whilst stationary and this has been introduced into staff and public car parks also.

Reflecting on the news of being finalists, head of sustainability, Clare Winter said: “Being finalists in the Towards Net Zero category is a brilliant achievement and a huge testament to the work done over the past year to improve our sustainability efforts as a trust.

“This achievement not only encompasses the work of the sustainability team but also wider staff within our trust who have supported our developments and have embraced change in order to contribute to our net zero goal.”

Future projects planned in line with the trust’s net zero action plan include advancing waste management processes and expanding their ‘Net Zero Hero’ programme which is a group staff can join. Members are passionate about improving sustainability in the trust and want to reduce environmental impacts in their departments.

The award ceremony will be held on Monday 14 October in London, and we would like to wish good luck to the sustainability team and all the other finalists.

Three staff members from Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management are celebrating a special milestone alongside North Tyneside General Hospital. Wayne Roper, Wendy Rowley and Bryan Pears who all work in the catering department at North Tyneside General Hospital recently celebrated  40 years of service , the same year the hospital celebrates its 40^th birthday.

Wayne Roper, kitchen superintendent

Wayne Roper, kitchen superintendent, began his career at the hospital in 1984 as an assistant cook. He joined the hospital straight after leaving school at the age of 16 and found out about a Youth Training Scheme placement at Preston Hospital which was due to become North Tyneside.

Talking about when he first started his career Wayne said: “When I left school, I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I always knew I wanted to do something practical. It was between joinery and cooking and fortunately, a position for an assistant cook came up at the new hospital. Being in a new hospital was brilliant as I got to work in a brand-new kitchen and back then all the cooking was done fresh for patients, it was a lot different to how it is now.”

Throughout his long-standing service, Wayne progressed into several roles but the one that sticks out happened in 1989 when he was successful in gaining the position as assistant head cook. “My manager was retiring and said that an assistant head cook job would be available when he was gone and said I should go for it. I didn’t feel confident to go for the role, I was 22 years old and it was a huge step up from my current role at the time. Having encouragement from my manager really pushed me out of my comfort zone to apply for the role and I am incredibly grateful that he did that. Without his encouragement at that time, I have no idea where I might have ended up.”

Since accepting his position as assistant head cook in 1989, Wayne has now progressed into a role as kitchen superintendent and has been in this role for the last 10 years. As part of this role, Wayne oversees the catering department within the whole hospital. His duties range from menu planning to managing the catering staff.

Most recently, Wayne has been involved in the roll-out of Project Boomerang at North Tyneside which is the process of recycling our food trays with our catering supplier, apetito. This process is greatly helping towards our net zero target for 2040.

Reflecting on his 40-year career Wayne said: “Celebrating 40 years of service is an incredible milestone to achieve, especially alongside the hospital itself. I’ve seen many changes throughout my career within catering, but one thing has always remained, the amazing people you meet along the way.

“I couldn’t have picked a better career, and I’d like to thank my colleagues who have supported me throughout my time at North Tyneside.”

Wendy Rowley, kitchen supervisor

Born and bred in North Shields, Wendy Rowley joined the hospital back in 1984 as a catering assistant. With plans originally to join the RAF, Wendy’s mother who worked at NTGH (formally known as Preston Hospital) recommended a job that was coming up within the catering department. Wendy said: “My mother, grandmother and aunty all worked at Preston Hospital and spoke of the place really highly so I just took a chance and decided to apply for the role. Luckily, I was successful and along with Wayne and Brian, became three of the first catering assistants at North Tyneside General Hospital.

“Although joining the RAF would have been a brilliant opportunity, I am glad I gained the position at the hospital as it has led me to meet some amazing people along the way.”

Wendy worked part-time in the kitchen at the hospital and was approached by her manager at the time to move into a full-time position. Wendy recalls this moment having a huge impact on her confidence saying: “This moment was really special to me as it was someone who I looked up to encouraging me to progress further within my career.”

Wendy has progressed throughout her time at the hospital and has now been a supervisor for over 20 years. As a supervisor, Wendy has moved away from the front of house duties and spends her time managing over 50 members of staff dealing with training and administrative duties. Talking about her role Wendy said: “I do miss the front-of-house side as you get to meet people from all different areas of the trust but I love managing my team. As a manager, you come up against complex situations and being compassionate is essential to this role. Throughout my time in this role, many of my colleagues have trusted me to give them advice and I think this is a real honour.”

North Tyneside is not only a special place to work for Wendy because of the people she met along the way, but it’s also where she met her partner. When asked what her hopes would be for the hospital in the next 40 years Wendy said: “To everyone that works at North Tyneside General Hospital just keep doing what you’re doing because it really is the people that have made it such a brilliant place to work over the last 40 years.

Bryan Pears, cook

Like Wayne, Bryan joined the hospital through a YTS placement at Preston Hospital and joined as a catering assistant. Talking about how he got into his career in catering Bryan said: “It was something I just fell into really. I had an interest in cooking in school and this placement became available and it was something that seemed right for me to pursue.”

Four years after starting his placement Bryan gained the position as a cook at North Tyneside where his duties involved creating nutritious meals for staff and patients. Talking about his extensive 40-year career, Bryan said; “For me, it’s the people that keep you going and make the job worthwhile. I have met some fantastic people throughout my 40 years of service, and they are responsible for getting me through some difficult personal times.

“A proud moment that sticks out to me is when I went to a comedy show in North Shields and I was approached by a lady who had been a long-term patient at the hospital. She told me how grateful she was to me and all the catering staff for making her enjoyable meals while she was in the hospital and said that it was the lovely meals that got her through being in hospital.

“Although a lot of what the catering staff do goes on behind the scenes, this moment showed me that what we do really does make a positive difference to our patients.”

Furthermore, Bryan said, “The NHS is truly a special place to work, and it can open up many doors. I’m delighted to be celebrating this milestone alongside the hospital itself and Wayne and Wendy who started this journey with me.”

Brian Cowan, chief operating officer of Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management said: “40 years of service is a massive achievement and we’re incredibly lucky to have three exceptional members of staff working within NHFM.

Celebrating this milestone alongside the hospital itself is very special. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Wayne, Wendy and Bryan for their hard work and dedication in making North Tyneside a great place to work and for giving our patients a positive experience when they are in hospital.”

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has shown support to local dementia charity, Dementia Matters, by donating surplus wheelchairs that will ensure the provision of safe care and treatment across their residential and day care services. 

The donation of the wheelchairs was made by the Northumbria Wheelchair Centre and includes five self-propelled chairs and five attendant chairs. The Northumbria Wheelchair Centre opened in December 2022 and is a one-stop shop for the assessment of postural mobility and wheelchair patients in Northumberland and North Tyneside.

Dementia Matters was set up in 1993 as a registered charity to provide services for people with dementia and their carers living in Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside. Their goal is to provide a voice for those living with dementia and to provide family-centred services for those who need support. As well as supporting those living with dementia, the charity also provides specialist care, support and advice to those living with other neurological disorders, such as acquired brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. The charity has a respite and residential care unit at The Bradbury Centre in Brunswick Village as well as a day service.

Talking of her delight for the donation of the wheelchairs, Bev Reid, Director of Partnerships and Development said; “We are delighted to have received the kind donation of wheelchairs which are essential to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all those we support.

“Recent pressures have hit small charities like ours and the support and kindness shown from the team at Northumbria Healthcare help us to continue to provide much-needed essential services and continue to give a message of hope to our wonderful families and staff.

The wheelchairs were being stored at the Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation Hub which is located in Seaton Delaval and were delivered to Dementia Matters on Thursday 11 July.

Ian Garrett, general manager at the Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation Hub which is part of Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management said; “We were thrilled that we could donate these wheelchairs to Dementia Matters. Not only are we pleased that we could support a local charity, but we’re also delighted that these wheelchairs will be used to help residents maintain mobile independence which is incredibly important.”

The donation of the wheelchairs contributes towards the trust’s Community Promise which is a pledge to focus on all the ways it can improve people’s lives by pushing the boundaries of what an NHS trust can be.

The trust also vowed to work more closely with local charities at their recent engagement event with organisations from the voluntary and community sector.

Media contact

Emily Lavin, marketing and communications officer

emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk

Last month, the Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation hub, which is part of Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, welcomed Year 12 students from Bede Academy. The visit provided students with the opportunity to look around the 40,000 sq/m site and to highlight the careers within healthcare textile manufacturing.

The students began the day learning about the different areas of the manufacturing hub including product development, planning, administration and sales. They were then given a tour of the manufacturing process and had the opportunity to create a theatre hat with personalised embroidery. The students were able to observe each key stage, from cutting the materials, to embroidery and sewing and seeing the different machinery in action.

Next up, students were shown the packing system and visited the warehouse where they could get an overview of the storage and distribution processes, including demonstrations of forklifts and loading docks.

The day provided students with an opportunity to experience careers within the NHS that aren’t healthcare focused, and also see how different teams work together to produce high quality PPE and other textile products. Additionally, the Manufacturing Hub also donated some surplus material from the production line for the students to take away and use on their own projects.

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management would like to say thanks to all who participated in the visit and hope it has made a positive impact on students as they navigate their career choices.

The refurbished in-patient ward at a Northumberland community hospital has reopened this week.

Blyth Community Hospital, which is part of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, delivers care for the elderly, outpatient clinics, radiology services and physiotherapy services.

Work to improve the environment of the 26-bed in-patient ward, which mainly provides care for the elderly and rehabilitation, began in March this year. It will once again provide care for inpatients from today – Thursday August 8, 2024.

Work carried out, which has modernised the ward and made it a much more pleasant environment for both patients and staff, included painting the walls, fitting new doors, flooring, ceiling and lighting, and updating furniture.

Birju Bartoli, chief executive officer at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Firstly, I would like to thank the patients that have had to travel a bit further for their inpatient care while we have done this work. We appreciate their patience and understanding.

“We are very pleased with the results of the work as we appreciate the importance of making the environments that we care for our patients in as pleasant as possible. An average of 490 patients were admitted to this ward per year, over the last two years.

“We know that being in hospital can be a worrying and unsettling time for both patients and their loved ones. This work demonstrates our on-going commitment to continuously improving both patient and staff experience.”

Patients, who have required overnight hospital care and would normally be admitted to Blyth Community Hospital, have been cared for at Wansbeck General Hospital in Ashington.

All other services provided from Blyth Community Hospital have been provided as normal.

For further information contact cara.charlton@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management takes steps to improve sustainability

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management has recently signed a four-year lease on 18 new electric vehicles (EVs) to help meet Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s net zero 2040 target.

The estates and facilities teams rely on having their own fleet of vehicles to carry out day-to-day duties across all of the hospital sites in Northumberland and North Tyneside.

With the current lease from 2018 coming to an end, a review of the fleet identified room to reduce carbon emissions.

Discussions to increase the number of EVs involved head porters, estates and facilities managers to review against their usage and mileage needs to ensure they would continue to meet the needs of the trust.

With over 50% of the incoming fleet being electric, they will be charged overnight at the trust’s hospital sites to cut down on fuel costs.

Dr Clare Winter, head of sustainability at Northumbria Healthcare, said: “We have a responsibility through our Net Zero Northumbria action plan to make improvements to the trust’s sustainability in all aspects of our business in order to meet our net zero  2040 target.

“Making the switch to electric vehicles is just one of the many changes we have made to contribute to cleaner air around our hospitals.”

Thanks to Phil Cooper and Leon Xeros from NHS Fleet Solutions for assisting with implementing this change.

A significant milestone will be reached in the construction of Berwick’s long-awaited new community hospital this week.

The first components, which have been built off-site, will be transported from Merit’s factory in Cramlington, supported by a police escort, to the hospital site in Berwick.

Merit, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s construction partner, has been building these components since January last year.

In total 712 pre-assembled modules (PAMs), 52 fully fitted bathrooms PODs and 17 roof PODs will be transported from Cramlington to north Northumberland over the course of the next five to six months and will be installed on the roof and within the hospital’s two-storey steel frame.

The PAMs will be installed within ceiling voids and house the hospital services, including plumbing, lighting, heating and ventilation. The roof PODs, which will sit on top of the building, contain the equipment needed to distribute services throughout the hospital.

On Tuesday July 30, at around 8.00am, two roof PODs will be lifted by crane onto two large lorries to make the 60-mile journey to Berwick.

It is expected that the journey along Fisher Lane, Cramlington, up the A1 and along the A1167 into Berwick will take around an hour and a half. On Wednesday July 31, the PODs will then be lifted by crane onto the top of the hospital building, their permanent home.

A further six PODs will be delivered to the site between Wednesday and Friday this week.

Damon Kent, managing director of Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, said: “To reach such a key milestone in this extremely important project for the trust, patients and staff, is very exciting and an achievement for all involved.

“A huge amount of detailed planning has gone into the transportation of these modules, and I know that Merit will do everything to minimise any disruption and ensure that everything is done in a safe manner. Navigating the narrow residential streets near the hospital site is something that has been considered very carefully.

“This phase of the project really shines a light on the benefits of using what is referred to as ‘modern methods of construction’. The main advantages of this method include a very high-quality product and progress not being affected by weather. I am really looking forward to seeing things progress at pace on site from now.”

The local community has seen the hospital develop week by week and this exciting phase will begin the transformation of what is currently a steel frame into a modern and innovative building which will transform the way healthcare is delivered to those who live in Berwick and further afield.

Marion Dickson, executive director of nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Words cannot describe how momentous this part of the new Berwick hospital project is. To see the new hospital rise-up from our existing hospital site has been fascinating and very special. And now, to be able to witness the different components being put in place in such an extraordinary way is just fantastic.

“I am incredibly proud that Northumbria Healthcare were brave in opting for this innovative construction method and that we are leading the way regionally and nationally. The countdown is now on until the Summer next year and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved so far, once again, for their commitment, effort and contribution. Our local communities can be assured that we are continually looking to see what appropriate additional services we can bring to our wonderful new hospital. We must ensure any new services are sustainable and that they can be delivered safely. I can’t wait to see our hospital building transform over the next few weeks and months.”

Mark Brough, project manager at Merit, commented: “We’re incredibly proud to have reached this significant milestone in the delivery of Berwick’s new Hospital. The offsite components of the facility will be delivered to site over the next five to six months and has been planned out with meticulous detail. Our priority is to ensure the seamless delivery of all components, whilst also minimising disruption to the local community where possible. I’m looking forward to seeing this project progress further, and once operational, this state-of-the-art hospital will benefit the wider community and beyond.”

Residents and stakeholders are invited to find out more about the progress of the construction of Berwick’s new community hospital and the patient services it will offer at a drop-in session being held between 11am and 4pm on Friday August 9 at the William Elder Building 56-58 Castlegate, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland, TD15 1JT.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust have donated used furniture and equipment to Bede Academy to support the development of the school’s new health course and to create a positive learning experience for students.

The donation of the furniture was made by the trust to enable students to gain a valuable experience when learning about healthcare and to also promote career pathways in healthcare.

This initiative also contributes towards the trust’s Community Promise which is a pledge to focus on all of the ways it can improve people’s lives by pushing the boundaries of what an NHS trust can be.

The promise is based on six key pillars that recognise the factors that can contribute to these inequalities. This project contributes to the Action on Education pillar which pledges to build strong relationships with schools and colleges to raise aspirations and promote the varied roles in health and social care.

Natalie Winchester, T Level in Health Lead at Bede Academy in Blyth said: “We are incredibly grateful for the donation of this equipment from the trust. The equipment will be used to educate our students about healthcare and they will have the chance to benefit from a real-life like experience. We hope this new development will spark interest in healthcare careers for our students.”

The furniture and equipment was being stored at the Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation Hub at Seaton Delaval and was handed over to Bede Academy on Monday 20 May 2024.

Rosie Sexton, people and engagement lead at Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management said: “We really value the importance of working with our local community to strengthen our corporate social responsibility and this project is a key part of that. It’s brilliant to see that our surplus furniture and equipment can be used to create a positive learning experience for students and to encourage careers in healthcare.

“We were delighted to donate this furniture and equipment and look forward to working with Bede Academy again in the future.”

The new facility which will open in September 2024 for the new school year will enable students to learn about healthcare in a real-life like training environment. The furniture and equipment will be used to create a ward like training environment for students and features hospital beds and chairs.

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management celebrated National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day at all of our sites on Wednesday 19 June.

Celebrations including stalls at all of our sites to celebrate and inform people about the important work done by our estates and facilities teams to positively impact patient care.

National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day celebrates the essential work of all E&F professions in the delivery of health and social care to people across the UK.

To celebrate the day five members of our team who work in estates and facilities sat down to discuss how they feel their role positively impacts patient care, career highlights, challenges in their role that go unnoticed and ways to keep morale high during difficult times.

Listen to the Northumbria Way podcast with Jackie Brown, domestic superintendent, Janet Scott, domestic assistant, Karen Horan, head porter, Gary Talbot, estates officer and Katie Wright, catering superintendent.

The Manufacturing and Innovation Hub, which is part of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has partnered with Warwick Med to manufacture reusable and personalised theatre hats to improve patient safety and reduce anxiety.

Warwick Med is dedicated to improving healthcare environments for both patients and staff. Their mission is to help hospital theatres make the transition from disposable theatre caps to reusable high-quality fabric hats that feature a removable badge on the front of the hat which displays the healthcare professional’s name and their job title.

The idea for the badges came from Danielle Checketts who is the managing director of Warwick Med. Danielle, who is a former nurse, found that when training in an operating theatre she was asked to write her name and role onto her disposable theatre hat so that she could be identified by staff and the patient being operated on. Danielle was inspired by the idea and found there was a gap in the market for companies offering latex-free, personalised theatre hats, Danielle then developed the innovation of attaching badges to the theatre hats, which is an alternative to embroidery.

These badges are made from durable polyurethane, which can be easily cleaned and decontaminated after use, supporting high hygiene standards.  Also, the badges have undergone rigorous testing to support safety requirements.

Talking about the driving force behind the idea, Danielle said: “As both a former nurse and patient, I understand deeply the importance of clear communication in reducing patient anxiety. These hats are more than an innovation; they are about bringing humanity back into our healthcare interactions.”

The Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation Hub partnered with Warwick Med in 2023 to manufacture the reusable theatre hats. Product development manager, Michelle Triplow-Jones said; “We’re really pleased to be working with Danielle and the team at Warwick Med to produce the reusable theatre hats. We know that a hospital can be an intimidating place for patients and these hats are a fantastic way to put patients at ease and to improve their experience in hospital.”

An average 20-theatre hospital usually disposes of around 100,000 caps per year, most of which go to landfill, and some are incinerated, which poses lots of risks to the environment. These theatre caps can be taken home to be washed and reused and hats last for approximately 3 years, ultimately improving sustainability within healthcare.

Media contact

Emily Lavin, marketing and communications officer

emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk or 07887985929

Dawn Palmer from Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management has been shortlisted for the ‘Hospital Catering of the Year’ award in the Public Sector Catering Awards.

The awards celebrate individuals and teams that work within the public sector, with the hospital category highlighting those who have demonstrated an improvement in patient, staff and visitor meals.

Dawn’s role originally focused on catering for staff in our Wellbeing Centre, where she identified the need for more variation in the menus. She listened to suggestions from staff to introduce new menus and regularly offer specials.

In developing the new menu, she also worked closely with the trust’s BAME network to ensure the options were culturally diverse and representative of the ethnic groups of staff in the trust.

Now, Dawn works as Catering Superintendent and oversees patient and visitor catering across multiple sites, in addition to managing the Wellbeing Centre.

With patient catering being new to her, she spent time with managers at other sites, our suppliers, and nutritionists and dieticians to learn everything there is to know to create meals that aid recovery.

Speaking about her nomination, Dawn said: “I am so pleased to be nominated for the Public Sector Catering Award by my colleagues. I absolutely love my role and enjoy the variety and challenges it brings.

“I would like to thank Northumbria for being such a forward-thinking trust and giving me the support and freedom to put new ideas in place.”

Damon Kent, managing director of NHFM: “Dawn is pro-active in everything she does whether that’s developing her own skills, developing the skills of those around her or providing solutions to problems she’s identified.

“The changes that she has put into place have had excellent responses from staff, patients, and visitors.”

The award ceremony takes place on Thursday 4 April in London, and we wish Dawn, and the rest of the finalists, the best of luck.

Northumbria Healthcare excels in patient led assessments

Patients at Northumbria Healthcare have rated their experience in hospital as the best in the country on a number of key areas according to the results of a new national study.

Northumbria scored above the national average in all eight assessed areas in the latest Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) survey.

The trust, which runs hospitals in Northumberland and North Tyneside scored the highest nationally in the combined food category for large acute trust, this category looks at choice, availability, and quality. The trust also came out top nationally in cleanliness for a large acute trust, this category looks at the condition of objects and facilities including patient equipment, furniture, and toilets.

It also ranked first large acute trust nationally for dementia and privacy, dignity and wellbeing.

There has been an increase in several areas in 2023 compared to 2022 with the biggest increase being 5.8% in relation to ward food.

These assessments were undertaken between September and December 2023 and the scores are published by NHS England.

They focus on how the hospital environment supports service provision and patient care, looking at core aspects such as cleanliness, food and maintenance, as well as the extent to which the environment supports privacy and dignity of dementia and disability compliance.

Chief executive, Birju Bartoli said: “Our staff work incredibly hard to ensure that patients get the care and service they deserve when they are with us, and we pride ourselves on our commitment to providing outstanding patient care. As well as the treatment they receive in hospital we know things like cleanliness, good food and the overall patient environment are all really important in offering the best possible experience for people while they are with us.

“It’s incredibly reassuring to see that despite the current pressures being faced, our staff have continued to focus on the needs of our patients and delivered excellent standards of care.”

Damon Kent, managing director of Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, the trust’s estates and facilities subsidiary added: “It’s brilliant to see such positive results and improvements in areas. These results are a testament to the hard work of our domestics, porters and catering teams. We’d like to say a huge well done to all of our teams who are dedicated to providing the best care for our patients.”

The trust also has an extensive patient experience programme, which is recognised as one of the most wide-ranging in the NHS. The process involved feedback being collected by Patient Perspective – an independent company approved by the CQC – to gain authentic and reflected insights, which are then analysed and acted on.

Media contact 

Emily Lavin, marketing and communications officer

emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk or 07887985929

Porter from Northumberland Hospital wins lifetime achievement award

Paul Green, from Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, has won the Dennis Southern Award at the MyPorter Awards for his lifetime achievements in portering.

Paul began his career in 1975 in the post room at the old Ashington Hospital and almost 50 years later is still an integral part of the team working as a porter at Wansbeck General Hospital.

This national award was created in honour of Dennis Southern who was also a porter at Northumbria Healthcare before he sadly passed away in 2020. Throughout his career, Dennis showed commitment, dedication, and care to all of the patients and families that he interacted with.

The award is presented to porters within the NHS who also display these qualities and have had a positive impact on those around them.

Speaking about his award win, Paul said: “I was overwhelmed when I found out I won the award, and my friends and family were gobsmacked when I told them. I was up against two other candidates, so I really didn’t expect it.

“I really enjoy working as a porter because I work with great portering teams. It’s a really nice environment to work in and everyone was congratulating me.”

Damon Kent, managing director of NHFM said: “Day in and day out, Paul has shown his commitment to the trust to help provide our patients with a positive experience during a time of vulnerability.

“To have someone from Northumbria Healthcare win the Dennis Southern Award is fantastic. It shows that Dennis’ morals and work ethic have been passed on through our staff to form the incredible work force we have today.”

Sandra Phelps, sewing machinist from Northumbria Healthcare’s Manufacturing and Innovation Hub, has been shortlisted for a national Unsung Hero Award.

The Unsung Hero Awards highlight the contributions made by non-clinical and non-medical NHS staff and volunteers to their trusts.

Sandra started at Northumbria Healthcare as a volunteer sewing machinist during the pandemic. During this time, Sandra showed great dedication, passion and willingness to help which resulted in being offered a permanent contract.

Since then, Sandra has become an integral part of the production team and has organised numerous events for staff-wellbeing. Her events have become something that staff look forward to and in turn this has boosted motivation and productivity on both the production line and the wider team.

Alongside the support for those in the team, Sandra is passionate about supporting people into employment. She volunteers as a mentor for students from a local special needs school who come to the Hub on a weekly basis for work experience and has promoted careers in sewing at our public career events.

Talking about her nomination, Sandra said: “I couldn’t believe it, I felt really happy and proud. I was quite emotional at the time because I was thinking this is fantastic. I just think it’s so important that the unsung heroes get these awards.

“If I won, I would be over the moon but I’m already a winner being nominated and shortlisted and working alongside my colleagues in the factory”

Rosie Sexton, people and engagement lead at Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management said: “We are so proud of Sandra. Being shortlisted is a reflection of her commitment to supporting everybody in the team and she deserves to be recognised for going above and beyond.

“It’s great to see the work of non-clinical and non-medical staff acknowledged on a national scale. These roles contribute to a positive patient experience and that shouldn’t be overlooked.”

The awards ceremony takes place in Manchester on the 15 March and we wish Sandra the best of luck.

Emily Lavin, marketing and communication officer

emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk or 07887985929

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, the estates and facilities subsidiary of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is celebrating not one but three award shortlists.

This includes two shortlists for the MyPorter Awards and one shortlist for the MyCleaning Awards.

Wansbeck General Hospital’s portering team have been shortlisted for the Portering Team of the Year Award and Paul Green has been shortlisted for The Dennis Southern Lifetime Achievement Award. Kerry Lansbury has also been shortlisted for The Leadership of the Year Award at the MyCleaning Awards.

Both award ceremonies were established to celebrate the hard work of porters and domestics and to also give praise for the role they play in a patient’s journey whether that’s directly or indirectly.

The portering team at Wansbeck has been recognised in the Portering Team of the Year category for going above and beyond to make patients feel welcome and at ease while in hospital.

Charlene Sturgeon, head porter, who nominated the portering team for the award said: “The team really go above and beyond to make patients feel at home. One porter even visited over 10 shops in her own time to find some Barr’s Cloudy Lemonade for an end-of-life patient just because she told her she fancied some.

“As well as doing their best for patients and staff, they also do their best for each other with team members raising money for charity outside of work.”

Paul Green, porter at Wansbeck has been shortlisted for the Dennis Southern Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Dennis Southern Lifetime Achievement Award was created in honour of Northumbria porter Dennis Southern. Dennis was nominated for the MyPorter Award in 2020 but sadly Dennis passed away from cancer just 2 weeks before the closing of the awards. It was decided that a new award would be created for the MyPorter Awards 2021 in honour of Dennis to celebrate him and embody his morals, ethics and outlook.

Described as ‘respectful and humble’, Paul started his career straight out of school in the old post room at the old Ashington Hospital in 1975 and almost 50 years later is still an integral part of the team working as a porter.

Rosie Sexton, people and engagement lead at NHFM who nominated Paul for the award said: “Like Dennis, Paul shows commitment, dedication, passion and care. He’s a true Northumbria Porter who puts patients at the centre of everything he does. Colleagues have branded Paul a legend and someone to look up to.”

Kerry Lansbury, domestic superintendent at The Northumbria Hospital was nominated for the Leadership of the Year award at the MyCleaning Awards.

Like Paul, Kerry started her career straight after finishing school as a domestic assistant and has since progressed to a domestic superintendent. Kerry manages the domestic services team at the Northumbria Hospital in Cramlington, who work hard to ensure that rooms are turned around quickly after discharges, so they are ready for the next patients and ensuring that areas are cleaned to a high standard 24/7.

Reflecting on her nomination Kerry said: “I am delighted to have been nominated for this award. This nomination reflects the hard work of the domestic team, and I am really fortunate to work in a very supportive team.”

Thrilled about the news of three award shortlists, Damon Kent, managing director of NHFM said: “Three award shortlists are an outstanding achievement for the Wansbeck portering team, Paul, and Kerry. For their hard work to be recognised on a national scale shows how dedicated they are to improving the experience of our patients.”

Media contact 

Emily Lavin, marketing and communications office

emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk or 07887985929

Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation Hub plays a part in welcoming new international nurses  

Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation Hub has played a role in welcoming the latest cohort of international nurses to Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

The trust’s international nurses scheme has been running for a little over a year and has so far welcomed 75 nurses from India, Zimbabwe and Swaziland to our hospitals.

On their arrival, they are provided with a welcome pack of items to help them adapt to life in the North East. This includes items such as gloves, a hat, scarf, thermal mug and a bedding set that has been produced by our Manufacturing and Innovation Hub.

The hub is known for creating PPE and health garments but they also have the facilities to create non-clinical products, such as blankets and tote bags.

Michelle Triplow-Jones, product development manager said: “We are delighted to have been a part of helping the international nurses feel welcomed to the trust.

“Moving across the world to come and work in our hospitals must be a big adjustment, so producing these bedding sets is a small gesture from us to show our appreciation and welcome them to their new home in the North East of England.”

The packs have been funded by Bright Northumbria Healthcare Charity, the official charity of the trust. Robert Graham, head of the charity said: “It’s great that our warm welcome packs have made such a big impact.

“Our main aim when developing them was to be able to provide the nurses with a sense of belonging and we’ve been successful in doing that.”

Jenny Locsin, lead nurse for international recruitment said: “Thank you to Bright and the Manufacturing and Innovation Hub for their ongoing support in providing our international nurses with welcome packs.

“It has made a great difference in making them feel welcomed and part of the Northumbria family. They have also expressed their gratitude as it has helped them to adapt to the rainy and colder climate in the North East.”

Media contact 

Emily Lavin, marketing and communications officer

emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk or 07887985929

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management has announced the appointment of a new head of capital, Mark Hawdon.

Mark joins NHFM with over 10 years of experience in the construction industry and he has spent a number of years working as the senior estates and facilities manager for the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) leading on their capital and refurbishment programme.

Sharing his enthusiasm to join NHFM Mark said: “I’m very excited to join this Trust and I’m looking forward to playing a leading role in the delivery of the capital works programme.”

As well as his extensive career experience, Mark holds a master’s degree in facilities management from Leeds Beckett University.

We look forward to having Mark on board at NHFM.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has launched its new sustainability action plan to help tackle climate change and achieve net zero status by 2040.

The 2-year plan sets out the commitment of the trust to reaching net zero for its carbon emissions. The plan incorporates sustainability pledges on different areas of the trust including buildings & estates, travel, waste, healthcare, and people. Currently, the NHS contributes to around 4-5% of the UK’s total carbon emissions.

This work will support the NHS’ ambitious goal to become net zero by 2040, and from this, the trust has produced carbon emission targets which are:

• Net zero by 2040 for the carbon emissions that they control. Including reducing fossil fuel use, using green electricity and producing less waste.
• Net zero by 2045 for the carbon emissions that they can influence. This includes encouraging environmentally friendly commuting for staff and buying medicines and equipment from suppliers who are working to reduce their carbon footprint.

Clare Winer, head of sustainability at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said: “We’re delighted to have launched our new Net Zero Northumbria action plan. Our key action areas support our target to be net zero by 2040.

“Recent projects such as the major decarbonisation work at North Tyneside General Hospital shows how heavily we invest in our estates to make them as sustainable as possible. However, we understand that we can do more which is why our plan outlines the actions we will take on our other key areas.”

Clare added: “As a trust, we are very much aware of the impact we have on our environment, and we are committed to incorporating these pledges into our core business activity to work towards a net zero Northumbria Healthcare.”

This work also aligns with the trust’s Community Promise which is a pledge to focus on all the ways the trust can improve people’s lives, pushing the boundaries of what an NHS trust can be by looking at how they can have a larger impact on everyone who lives and works in the area and wider region.

The Community Promise includes 5 key pillars which are: action on education, action on employment, action on economy, action on environment and action on inequalities.

Wayne Daley, head of corporate and social responsibility at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said; “Sustainability is a key focus of our Community Promise and we’re thrilled to be part of this new action plan.

“The commitments made in the new action plan will not only benefit the trust but also staff, patients and our communities.”

The Northumbria Net Zero action plan was launched at the beginning of 2024 and includes pledges to increase the use of reusable clinical products and to increase awareness of waste management across the organisation.

Find out more about the Net Zero Northumbria action plan here. 

Media contact 

Emily Lavin, marketing and communications officer

emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk or 07887985929

Over the festive period Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation Hub welcomed the Blyth Rotary Club to pack Christmas hampers for families in the local area. 

Over 25 volunteers from Blyth Rotary Club came together to pack 70 hampers which included everyday essentials such as vegetables, bread, cereal and tinned food.

Gerald Wallace, a volunteer from the club said: “This is the sixth year that we have packed Christmas hampers and they will go to families in need across Blyth. Christmas can be a difficult time for many and hopefully these hampers will make things a little easier.

We’d like to thank Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation Hub for letting us use their space in the factory unit. We have 70 hampers to distribute and having a big space to sort the items out has been a massive help.”

The hampers were distributed by volunteers on Friday 23 December.

Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation Hub create 40 Christmas blankets for children in hospital over the festive period

The team at Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation Hub have been hard at work this week creating over 40 Christmas-themed blankets for patients at the Northumbria Hospital in Cramlington.

The Manufacturing and Innovation Hub, which is part of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, is known for creating PPE and health garments but can also create non-clinical products including blankets.

Lesley Thompson, production manager at the Manufacturing and Innovation Hub said: “It’s been a pleasure to be able to create the blankets and to know that they are going to such a good cause is reassuring.

“A hospital is one of the last places you want to be at over Christmas, and we feel honoured to have been involved in a project that will be extremely appreciated and will make a difference.”

The creation of the blankets has been funded by Bright, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s official charity. Robert Graham, head of Bright charity said: “We were delighted to fund such an important project that will have a huge impact.

“Hospitals can be an intimidating place to be, especially for children, and something as small as a blanket can provide safety and comfort. Being involved in a project that will help improve hospital experience for patients has been an honour.”

The blankets will be delivered to the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital on Thursday 21 December and will be distributed to patients at the children’s unit and special care baby unit. Children are also able to take the blankets home as a keepsake.

Media contact

Emily Lavin, marketing and communications officer

Emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk or 07887985929

NHS Estates team take part in tree planting in Northumberland as part of celebrations for National Tree Week

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, the estates subsidiary of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has celebrated National Tree Week by planting over 300 trees at some of its Northumberland hospital sites.

National Tree Week, which ran from Saturday, November 25 to Sunday, December 3, is the UK’s largest annual tree celebration. Originally, the team at NHFM planned to plant the trees on Friday, December 1 however the team had to reschedule to Friday, December 8 due to strong snow showers.

The trees were donated by NHS Forest which is run by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH) – an initiative that started in 2009 and has seen more than 100,000 trees planted on or near NHS sites.

Around 20 volunteers from the organisation including executive team members, braved the cold conditions to plant the trees at the sites of the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, Hexham General Hospital and Haltwhistle Memorial Hospital.

Damon Kent, managing director of NHFM said: “We’re incredibly grateful to have received these trees from NHS Forest. We’re committed to improving the surrounding areas of our sites to create a cleaner and greener environment.

“This was a brilliant initiative to be involved in and it’s great to see how successful the day has been. We’re looking forward to organising more volunteering days with the team.”

This project fits in line with the new sustainability strategy implemented by the trust, Net Zero Northumbria. Clare Winter, head of sustainability said: “Greening and adapting is one of our key areas in our new Net Zero Northumbria action plan. There are many advantages to planting trees and hedgerows such as providing shade for habitat and reducing air pollution therefore helping us in our fight against climate change.”

The team planted a variety of trees including hazel, crab apple and hawthorn to create a natural barrier between Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital and the A189 in Cramlington. As well as contributing to the trust’s sustainability efforts, once grown, the trees and flowers will also help to improve patient and visitor experience at the sites, including by obstructing the view of the traffic on the A189, buffering the noise from the road, and transforming this space into a much more welcoming environment.

Media contact 

Emily Lavin, marketing and communications officer

emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk or 07887985929

A major project to decarbonise North Tyneside General Hospital with the aim of reducing carbon emissions by 75% has been completed. 

The £22M project was funded by the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme which supports the delivery of the NHS ambitious goal to become net zero by 2040 and to reduce direct emissions from public sector buildings by at least 50% by 2032.

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, the estates and facilities subsidiary of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, worked in partnership with Dalkia to deliver a range of energy efficiency and capital improvements across North Tyneside General Hospital.

This work was delivered under the Strategic Energy and Asset Management (SEAM) Framework, a multiple supplier framework for the provision of a raft of energy efficient technologies, practices and demand reduction for the public sector. Saving time and money, it allows organisations to quickly engage suppliers, and gives the option to scale up or down depending on end user demand.

The project included installing large-scale heat pumps, the installation of solar (PV) panels and the replacement of the steam system which provides heating for the hospital. The trust has also taken steps to upgrade its infrastructure through the installation of new transformers which are more energy efficient compared to the old ones. Additionally, two new substations have been built, forming a new high-voltage (HV) ring, installing a new switchgear to enhance the infrastructure’s reliance, and ensuring a reliable power supply.

Damon Kent, Manging Director at Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management said: “We’re delighted that this work has been completed at North Tyneside General Hospital. This has been an extremely important project for us and is another way we have invested heavily in our estates and facilities, ensuring new developments and refurbishing existing buildings to make them as sustainable as possible.

“A significant amount of work has been undertaken to complete this project and we’d like to thank everyone involved who helped us reach this milestone.

This is just another intiative that the trust has implemented to improve its sustainability efforts; in 2021 the trust refreshed its commitment with the launch of the Community Promise, which has action on Environment as one of its key pillars. The trust also plans to lauch a new sustainability action plan in December under the name, Net Zero Northumbria. This new plan will detail commitments made to the trust in its sustainability efforts and to reach net zero by 2040.

Clare Winter, head of sustainability at Northumbria Healthcare said: “This project sets a very clear statement about the trust’s ambitions to decarbonise our estate. We take our Community Promise & our Net Zero Northumbria plans very seriously and are proud of our achievements at North Tyneside General Hospital, and it sets the benchmark going forward.”

Jonathan Kershaw, Manging Director at Dalkia (Energy Services) said: “This project not only demonstrates technical innovation that delivers significant decarbonisation but also it demonstrates the benefits of the great teamwork and collaboration that has existed between Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, the Trust and Dalkia. I am grateful to the teams for all their hard work that has helped us get to this point and Dalkia are looking forward to working with the Trust on the next stages of their journey to Net Zero.”

Media contact 

Emily Lavin, marketing and communications officer

emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare or 07887985929

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has welcomed 8 new recruits on its apprenticeship programme.

The group is made up of 8 new apprentices who are undertaking roles in sewing machinery, joinery and painting and decorating.

Established in 2012, NHFM is one of the largest and most successful Facilities Management companies wholly owned by the NHS within the UK.

The roles provide on-the-job experience while apprentices study towards their chosen qualifications.

Rosie Sexton, people and engagement lead at Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management said: “At NHFM we’re really passionate about the importance of learning and building foundation skills that people can use throughout their career. The work we do is so important and people rely on us every day to deliver essential services.

Usually, we take on 2 -3 new apprentices per year, so this a great development to have 8. I’m very excited to see the positive impact our new apprentices will have on NHFM and supporting the individuals in their new careers.”

Sophie Wilson, who has taken on an apprenticeship in painting and decorating said: “I chose this apprenticeship as I wanted to learn a trade with a company that makes a difference. It is a great opportunity to expand my learning and enhance my skills in a new career.”

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management has announced the appointment of a new head of PMO (project management office), Zoë Galloway. Zoë brings a wealth of experience to NHFM with almost 20 years of experience in the NHS including 15 years of project programme and PMO management.

Zoë has worked with a range of organisations including mental health, acute and community settings. Most recently she lead the PMO in a regional Pathology programme alongside five trusts for a shared laboratory information system which included the capital laboratory refurbishments.

She has a degree in psychology and is currently finishing her Masters in Global Leadership and Management in Healthcare, she has also contributed to the global PMO Competencies textbook that was published in 2021.

Spending over 7 years at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, Zoë has shared her PMO expertise, including providing support, guidance, and governance across all the directorates and corporate areas in the Trust, mentoring and coaching teams to create their own PMO and project delivery.

Sharing her enthusiasm to join NHFM, Zoë said: “I’m thrilled to have joined NHFM and look forward to sharing my expertise in the PMO to provide support, information and centre of excellence to allow the capital programme and associated projects to be delivered.”

As well as all these achievements and successes in her career, she is also working on another PMO publication to provide guidance in outlining the vast range of services that a PMO can provide in a format that can guide future PMO’s to deliver value to their customers.

Construction of Berwick’s new hospital is moving into one of the most important and momentous phases to date.

Now that work to lay the foundations of the state-of-the art healthcare facility is complete the steel frame of building can be erected.

This is a key, very exciting stage as people will finally see the new and long-awaited community hospital taking shape.

Lengths of steel, which will make up the frame of the hospital, will be delivered to site from next week (commencing Monday, October 23), as well as two cranes. It is hoped that construction of the frame will also start during this week.

Marion Dickson, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s executive director for nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals, said: “As someone who has been involved in this project for many years and as a Berwick resident, I am absolutely delighted to be entering this phase of the project. I have no doubt of the significant positive impact that our new hospital is going to have on both patient care and experience and on staff experience.

“With any project of this size, it is inevitable that there will be some unexpected issues to deal with along the way. I want to thank the Northumbria Healthcare, Merit and other teams who have got us to this point. I know how much it is going to mean to people when we start to see the frame of our new hospital going up.”

Berwick residents and stakeholders are invited to find out more at a drop-in session to be held on Thursday, November 2, between 1pm and 6pm at the William Elder Building, 56-58 Castlegate, Berwick, TD15 1JT.

Around 4,700 sections of steel, varying in lengths between 2.5 metres and 12 metres, will need to be delivered in batches while this work is done because there is limited storage space on site. This phase of construction will take around four months.

As well as the hospital frame going up, steel decking will be installed which will form the ground and first floors and the base of the roof. In early January next year, concrete will then be poured on top of the decking and polished.

Mark Brough, Project Manager at Merit, which is Northumbria Healthcare’s construction partner, said: “We’re delighted to have reached this key project milestone in the development of Berwick’s new hospital. Over the next few weeks, the steel frame will be delivered and constructed on site – we’ll soon be able to see the impressive scale of the building. As always, we will do our utmost to minimise disruption to the local community and we will keep Berwick residents up to date with project activity.”

A ’no waiting or loading’ restriction on Brucegate is in place and will run for the course of the works to ensure safe access for the deliveries and large vehicles to and from site. In addition to this, a number of parking bays on Brucegate are suspended.

New access roads to the site, off Brucegate, will be constructed. The boundary of the site will also need to be moved to the kerb edge of the footpath that runs along Brucegate.

Work to install a new temporary ward, to ensure inpatients can remain on the hospital site in Berwick, is progressing well and will open in mid-November. The 10-bed inpatient ward will be very comfortable and have all the facilities and access that the existing one does.

Depending on clinical need, some patients that would usually be admitted to Berwick Infirmary will be cared for at Alnwick Infirmary and the trust will also care for as many patients as they can within the community.

It hasn’t been possible to keep patients in the existing ward because the remainder of the piling work will be done very close to the existing ward wall. This will be carried out around mid-November and will take one week. The existing ward will then be disconnected from services and other required work done before it is demolished.

Marion Dickson continued: “We want to reassure people that we will keep them updated on progress and do our best to minimise disruption. It is inevitable that there will be disruption caused due to the size and scale of what we are doing and considering the space we have to work in.

“I encourage people to please come along to our information drop-in session. We are looking forward to seeing and updating people.”

Once the frame of the hospital is up, stairs and floors will be installed along with an accessible rooftop. The building will be clad and glazed externally to weatherproof it and ensure it is watertight. The offsite manufactured components will then be put in place and the building will be fitted out.

Finally, the remaining old hospital buildings will be demolished, the car park and access roads will be built, and landscaping work completed.

Cara Charlton, Head of PR

07812 389 963 or email cara.charlton@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management is partnering with Newcastle United Foundation to deliver a week-long programme that provides insights about working for NHFM.

Attendees will gain exclusive access, industry insights and learn about the roles available within estates and facilities including catering, cleaning, portering, security, estates and admin.

Those wishing to apply for roles will be fully supported in the application process.

The course starts on the 25^th September 2023 at NUCASTLE (NE4 6BQ) and if you would like to apply, please click here.

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, the estates and facilities subsidiary of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has partnered with Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham as part of their careers programme for Year 11 students.

The partnership was developed to provide a valuable experience with a potential employer, learn more about the world of work, and for students to develop and showcase a range of transferable skills.

Students were tasked with a challenge to develop a company recruitment strategy that would appeal to a wide range of people, helping to support diversity and reduce potential stereotypes and barriers to entry.

Key messages the students came up with included the use of social media such as TikTok and YouTube to appeal to a younger audience. Promoting unique benefits including discounted gym memberships and career progression and highlighting qualification requirements for the positions.

Following on from feedback from the students, an advert has now been developed incorporating the key messages from the students to highlight new apprenticeship roles available within NHFM. This advert can be found on TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Rosie Sexton, NHFM’s people and engagement lead said; “This was a fantastic opportunity for Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management to showcase the wide variety of career opportunities we have available. It was great for the students to see that there are roles within the NHS that aren’t just clinical facing.

The students were incredibly enthusiastic and came up with some great ideas that we have taken forward and will use in our future recruitment campaigns.”

Paul Freeman-Myers, Assistant Headteacher for Queen Elizabeth High School and Hexham Middle School said; “It’s important for students to be able to engage with local employers to better prepare themselves for the world of work. The students are thrilled that their suggestions have been taken forward and are being used to help the NHS recruit staff into key roles.”

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management currently have apprenticeship roles available within facilities (catering, cleaning and portering), painting and decorating and joinery. The closing date for these roles is September 17 2023 and if you would like more information or want to apply please visit www.nhfm.co.uk/join-us

Multimillion-pound project to slash carbon emissions at Northeast hospital reaches exciting new milestone

Catering supervisor Angela Smith at Haltwhistle War Memorial Hospital achieves 40-Year Service in the same month the NHS turns 75. 

Angela Smith is a long-serving staff member who has worked as part of the catering team at Haltwhistle since 1983.

She first joined a job creation scheme a year earlier which landed her a position at Hexham General Hospital. After five months, she was transferred to Haltwhistle to temporarily cover an absence.

It was on her return to Hexham she decided to apply for a permanent position at Haltwhistle, and in 1983 began the role that would lead to her current position.

“I remember having celebrations for someone else getting their 30-year service and I didn’t even think I would make it to 10! It’s an achievement that I’m really proud of.”

Angela, who was born in the old hospital and grew up in Haltwhistle, has been a member of the community her whole life.

Reflecting on the last 40 years, she said “I’ve met so many great people along the way. Due to the nature of the job, people are always coming and going so you really get to know everyone.

“Things have changed since I first started and it’s great to see how things have developed in the catering department throughout the years.”

A memory of Angela’s was celebrating the 100^th birthday of Haltwhistle War Memorial Hospital in 2022 as it was a chance for staff, old and new, to come together to share their stories.

Damon Kent, managing director of Northumbria Health Facilities Management, is proud to have Angela as part of the catering team.

He said: “40 years of service is a huge achievement. We’re so lucky to have Angela as part of the team as her hard work and dedication is an inspiration to others. It’s people like Angela that keep our hospitals running behind the scenes.

“To achieve this in the same month as the NHS turning 75 is something special.”

Many of our celebrations this week will continue to highlight our incredible staff here at Northumbria Healthcare.

The grounds of an NHS facility in Northumberland are buzzing with activity thanks to a new community partnership.

To celebrate its 10^th anniversary, Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management partnered with Pure Buzzin’ Community Interest Company to install five beehives on the grounds of the Northumbria Healthcare Manufacturing and Innovation Hub in Seaton Delaval.

NHFM was established in 2012 and is one of the largest and most successful Facilities Management companies wholly owned by the NHS within the UK. One of the biggest projects from NHFM was the development of the Northumbria Hospital in Cramlington in 2015.

Pure Buzzin’ is a local beekeeping company based in North Tyneside, run by Stephen Douglas, that aims to reduce social isolation, improve mental health and wellbeing, and promote disability inclusion.

Alongside the social aims of Pure Buzzin’, they also sell hive-based products such as candles and honey, but the main focus remains on building better communities through beekeeping.

The idea to install beehives to celebrate the anniversary was brought forward by a staff member that had been to one of Stephen’s beekeeping experience days, which he runs for members of the public to come and learn about honeybees and see the hives up close.

This project contributes to Our Community Promise; the trust’s pledge to focus on all the ways it can improve people’s lives by pushing the boundaries of what an NHS trust can be. It acknowledges health inequalities and challenges that are faced by people in our community.

The promise is based on six key pillars that recognise the factors that can contribute to these inequalities. The beehives contribute to three of these: education, wellbeing and environment.

Stephen works with schools across the local area delivering an alternative education programme where children gain experience assembling hives, gaining joinery skills, learning about pollinators and extracting honey.

Stephen says: “It’s a unique and new platform for people to come together. As well as people being able to meet each other and learn some new skills, we’re also spreading knowledge and learning about the environment. Ultimately trying to get people to be better caretakers of the Earth.”

Rosie Sexton, people and engagement lead at NHFM said: “This is a fantastic imitative to celebrate our 10th anniversary as it really contributes towards the trusts community promise. Within the community promise there are six key pillars and this project contributes to three of them; education, wellbeing and environment.”

There are currently more than 50,000 bees in the hives and over the summer months, there will be more community involvement and they will be producing more honey-based products.

Media contact

Emily Lavin, marketing and communications officer, Northumbria Healthcare

Emily.lavin@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk or 07887985929

Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management celebrated National Healthcare Estates & Facilities Day trust wide on Wednesday 21 June.

National Healthcare Estates & Facilities Day celebrates the essential work of all E&F professions in the delivery of health and social care to people across the UK.

Our estates and facilities staff keep our building and facilities running smoothly, ensure our sites are clean and tidy and help patients get where they need to be, when they need to be.

Whether our staff are on the front-line or behind-the-scenes, they all play an essential role in our patients’ journeys.

Hear from some of our estates and facilities staff about their roles at NHFM:  

Rob Wilkes, Porter at Blyth Community Hospital

What do you like about your job?

I like the variety of my job, dealing with people, meeting new people and having conversations with them. Every day is different.

I like making a difference to patients. There are a lot of elderly people here at Blyth Hospital. They really appreciate what we do and it’s lovely.

Why do you think recognising National Healthcare E&F Day is important?

It feels nice to be appreciated. Without our roles the hospitals could not run.

I like the variety of my job, dealing with people, meeting new people and having conversations with them. Every day is different.

I like making a difference to patients. There are a lot of elderly people here at Blyth Hospital. They really appreciate what we do and it’s lovely.

Why do you think recognising National Healthcare E&F Day is important?

It feels nice to be appreciated. Without our roles the hospitals could not run. A lot of people don’t understand what we do behind the scenes, they don’t know things like who takes the rubbish out, or how the post gets delivered, so anything that helps people better understand our roles is great.

Helen Astley, domestic assistant at Hexham General Hospital

What do you like about your job?

I love my job as a Domestic Assistant. Without us the hospital could not operate, we keep infection down and standards high for the patients and staff who work here.

People tell me I do a marvellous job and say thank you for keeping the hospital clean. It makes me feel really proud and I get great job satisfaction from it. Doing this job keeps you fit and keeps you young.

Darren Tully, multi-skills craftsperson, Haltwhistle Hospital

What do you like about your job?

I feel rewarded when people appreciate the effort, we put in to keep everything working and looking great. I really enjoy being able to provide a service and make a difference to the local community.

How does your job role impact patients and staff?

Keeping the hospital estate well maintained is crucial in order to provide a safe and welcoming environment for patients to come and receive the care they need, and for staff to be able to do their jobs.

Jonathan Duran, catering assistant at North Tyneside General Hospital

What do you like about your job?

I love working in catering. I love the company here. My team mates are like a second family to me

I love serving food to patients, staff and visitors and providing a good service to them. Food is so important in keeping people healthy and happy. We keep everything going and never give up.

 Trust wide celebrations

Asides from celebrating our fantastic estates and facilities staff, we also had a great day at our sites promoting the careers available within NHFM including domestic and catering assistants, porters, estates officers, machinists and many more.

We also had a visit from Louise English, Strategic Head of Estates for NHS England who joined our celebrations at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington. Louise spent time with our estates and facilities staff and also had a chance to see a demo of our new robotic floor cleaner.

Work to install the foundations of Berwick’s new hospital is to begin this week.

This is a major and exciting milestone in the £35 million project to provide Berwick and the surrounding areas with high-quality community hospital healthcare which will significantly improve patient and staff experience.

To enable this work to be done, a piling machine and other equipment will be delivered to the Berwick hospital site on Thursday June 8.

Marion Dickson, executive director for nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and project lead, said: “It is just fantastic that we are now at the stage where we can lay the foundations of our new hospital. I know how pleased we all are in the Trust and am sure that all our stakeholders will be too, especially   because they will now see major work happening on site. We have all waited so long for this day to come!

“There is something very special about installing the foundations for a hospital, that is being constructed using cutting-edge technology, on a site of such historical importance. Archaeological finds show that those that went before us were forward-thinking in their time and we are certainly continuing this innovative approach in how we will deliver the best possible healthcare well into the future.”

Antony Knapton, project director at Merit, the Trust’s offsite construction partner, said: “The piling work, which will involve drilling around 750 40-centimetre-wide holes to a depth of five to seven metres and filling them with reinforced steel and concrete, will take around seven weeks. We hope to install around 20 piles per day across the hospital footprint which is circa 120 by 40 metres.

“We would like to reassure residents and other stakeholders that we will do all we can to keep any disruption to a minimum. The piling technology that we have chosen uses a drilling method, rather than banging, so is much less disruptive. If anyone has any concerns, they should please speak to members of the team on site or contact us by email at ournewhospital@merit.co.uk.”

Work will be carried out between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Marion Dickson continued: “We know that any work of this magnitude will cause some disruption and we once again thank residents, businesses and other stakeholders in Berwick for their patience and support. We will continue to keep everyone updated as work progresses.”

Once the foundation work is complete, the frame of the hospital will be put up, stairs and floors will be installed along with an accessible rooftop. The building will be clad and glazed externally to weatherproof it and ensure it is watertight. The offsite manufactured components will then be put in place and the building will be fitted out.

Finally, the remaining old hospital buildings will be demolished, the car park and access roads will be built, and landscaping work completed.

Work is underway on the site of Berwick’s new £35 million hospital and the project is now moving into an exciting phase. 

Preparatory work on site has begun to enable the footprint of the hospital to be dug out and the foundations of the two-storey state-of-the-art building to be laid. Once this work is complete the steel frame of the new hospital will be constructed. Work in the Merit factory is also progressing very well.

The project is now at the stage where changes to in-patient care at Berwick Infirmary are needed to ensure that the new hospital, which will significantly improve patient and staff experience, opens on schedule towards the end of 2024.

Patient safety and staff wellbeing are always top priorities for the Trust, so it will be necessary to install a new temporary ward for inpatients, in the maternity car park, while the hospital works continue. This will only affect patients being admitted to the Infirmary.

This is a necessary and important part of the process and ensures that patients can remain on the hospital site in Berwick, rather than them being cared for in other parts of the town or elsewhere in Northumberland.

The relocated 10-bed inpatient ward, which will be very comfortable and have all the facilities and access that the existing one does, will admit inpatients from around mid-July.

Relocation of the ward will ensure the best achieved completion date so that people from Berwick and other local communities can access the new 20-bedded hospital as quickly as possible.

Some patients that would usually be admitted to Berwick Infirmary will be cared for at Alnwick Infirmary and the Trust will also care for as many patients as they can within the community. Where a patient is cared for will depend on their clinical need and Northumbria Healthcare will provide transport for patients and relatives as appropriate.

Maternity, oncology, ambulatory care and minor injury unit services will remain within the Berwick Infirmary building and will not be affected.

It hasn’t been possible to keep patients in the existing ward because construction work will be happening less that one metre away and services underneath the existing ward need to be accessed.

Marion Dickson, executive director of nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals for Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and project lead, said: “It is fantastic that we are now moving into this very exciting phase of this project and that our new hospital is most certainly now a reality! We have considered a few options and are very pleased that we are able to keep both our inpatients and ward staff on our Berwick Infirmary site.

“We are doing the right thing for our staff and patients and ensuring that construction of our new hospital is completed as quickly as possible. We are very aware of how long people have waited for our new hospital to open.

“I would like to reassure everyone that we are doing all we can to keep disruption to a minimum on site and that we will continue to keep everyone updated on progress. I would also like to thank our staff for their continued efforts, flexibility, and patience. And we also very much appreciate the support of our local communities and stakeholders.”

Northumbria Healthcare is working with Northumberland County Council to ensure that maternity patients have access to parking nearby.

Once the frame of the hospital is up, stairs and floors will be installed along with an accessible rooftop. The building will be clad and glazed externally to weatherproof it and ensure it is watertight. The offsite manufactured components will then be put in place and the building will be fitted out.

Finally, the remaining old hospital buildings will be demolished, the car park and access roads will be built, and landscaping work completed.