Protected spaces for planned spinal and orthopaedic operations to take place and reducing the time patients wait for their surgery are the key benefits of a new £32m Elective Care Hub facility at Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds, which has now been given the go-ahead by NHS England.
This very significant scheme comprises a 23-bed ward, two operating theatres and an admissions area as an extension to the existing theatres suite. It is being developed by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and, when open, will increase the Trust’s elective operating capacity by more than 1,600 cases per year.
Having a dedicated elective care hub away from busier main hospital sites such as Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s means there is capacity which can confidently be used all-year-round.
The funding, which comes from NHS England and the West Yorkshire Integrated Care System, will also cover an increase of 142 staff members for the hub. Construction is anticipated to start in early 2026, with a planned opening date of November 2027.
Craige Richardson, Director of Estates & Facilities at Leeds Hospitals and senior responsible officer for this project, said: “This is fantastic news for patients in Leeds and from across the region as well as our colleagues working at the hospital. The purpose-built elective care hub increases protected space and theatres to see planned inpatients, enhancing their experience and meaning we can see more people more quickly.
Thank you to the teams who have worked hard to get us to this point. This project exemplifies our commitment to modernising our healthcare infrastructure to meet future demands, bringing clear benefits for the people we provide care for.”
Health Minister Karin Smyth said: “This £32 million investment will help thousands more people get the treatment they need sooner.
“Dedicated elective hubs like this are crucial to cutting waiting times, by allowing surgery to go ahead all year round without disruption from emergency pressures.
“This project is a clear example of how we are modernising the NHS, investing in the frontline and backing local systems to deliver real improvements for patients.”
The build process means that the Clinical Genetics service will be moving site while works are underway, thank you to them for their understanding.
The works necessitates some trees to come down. However, the Trust will be planting approximately 20 new trees on the Chapel Allerton site. In order to comply with biodiversity net gain requirements for the project, over 200 trees will also be planted in the local Yorkshire environment bank.