BAM Construction has begun work on a new state-of-the-art pathology laboratory to serve patients in Leeds, West Yorkshire and Harrogate.
The facility, at St James’s Hospital, Leeds, will support hospitals across the region to improve diagnostics for patients and help to meet the growing regional demand for specialist treatment and care – as well as providing development opportunities for staff.
BAM Construction has begun work on the site at the north end of the St James’s Hospital campus and are currently preparing the ground ready for building the new laboratory. The new facility is expected to be completed in the summer of next year (2023) and become operational in the autumn.
It will be part of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Pathology Network, formed through the collaboration of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), and will support the delivery of pathology services to patients across the region.
The start of works on site is a boost for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s wider health improvement plan which includes the development of a new adults’ hospital, a new home for Leeds Children’s Hospital and the largest single-site maternity centre in the UK in one building on the Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) site.
The new pathology laboratory will allow the Trust to incorporate most of its pathology services currently housed in outdated facilities in the Old Medical School at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) as well as some of those delivered from St James’s University Hospital.
The vacated Old Medical School building will form part of a plan to use surplus estate at the LGI to develop an innovation village which could create up to 3,000 new jobs and deliver up to £11.2bn in net present value.
Paul Cleminson, pre-construction director for BAM Construction North East, said the work they were carrying out on site was amongst the most advanced in any UK healthcare facility.
“It builds on an excellent relationship with St James’ and the wider Trust based on our previous work together at the i3TMRI/Hybrid Cardiac Theatre scheme and the backlog maintenance programme across Leeds as well as incorporating the most modern ways of working known to our sector,” he said. “It also draws on the lessons we’ve learned through delivering the Nightingale Hospital for Yorkshire and the Humber.
“It’s an exciting time to be involved with construction but this scheme will be especially important as it pushes the boundaries for us all.”
