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The construction of a new hospital in York is gathering pace, as a major milestone has been reached at the Foss Park facility.
The Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys (TEWV) NHS Foundation Trust’s hospital on Haxby Road is on track to be finished by April 2020, after topping on the site was recently completed.
Wates Construction has been hard at work on the building site since October 2018. Topping out is a significant milestone as it represents the uppermost point of building, following 250,000 hours having been spent so far on the 72-bed hospital.
Naomi Lonergan, director of operations for North Yorkshire and York at TEWV, said: “Foss Park is an exciting development and reaching this important milestone in the build means we are edging ever closer to completion of the hospital.”
So far, more than 2,000 tonnes of steel have been used to construct the building. Over 17,000 square metres of roofing has been fitted together, which equates to three full-sized football pitches. The construction company has also installed two miles of underground drainage, and eight miles of water distribution pipework, ready for patients when they start to move in.
Wates has been involving the local community with the construction project and has offered training and education programmes, including 18 work experience placements.
David Wingfield, business unit director for Wates Construction North East and Yorkshire, said: “[We are] always seeking new ways to engage with the local community and our topping out is the perfect time to take stock of everything that has been achieved on site to date.”
When the 6.5-acre site is open, the hospital will offer mental health inpatient care. It will have two adult single-sex wards and two older people’s wards, including one for those with dementia and one for people suffering from mental health ailments, from severe depression to psychosis.
Ms Lonergan went on to say: “[Foss Park Hospital] will provide access to high quality mental health care and offer cutting-edge facilities that support our service user, families and carers with their care needs.”
The wards have been named Ebor, Minster, Wold and Moor, while the hospital has been so-called due to the site being located next to the river Foss.
According to the Trust’s chief executive Colin Martin: “Foss Park Hospital will be a state-of-the-art facility, providing high-quality mental health care.”
In preparation for the hospital to open next April, changes are being made to mental health services for older people in York.
For instance, building work has been taking place to merge Acomb Garth – a male inpatient ward – with Meadowfields, which was a female inpatient ward. The merger, which was completed last week, will now offer ten male beds and eight female beds for older inpatients.
There has certainly been a focus on trying to offer more support for those with mental health problems in North Yorkshire recently, with the merger and the new Foss Park Hospital clearly demonstrating this.
An event hosted by TEWV and North Yorkshire County Council also recently took place at the YMCA in Scarborough to raise awareness of the support available to those with psychological difficulties in the area. This will include the inpatient facility at Foss Park when it finally opens early next year.
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