The opening of Scarborough Hospital’s new £47m urgent and emergency care centre (UECC) has been delayed until next year due to a faulty boiler.
The state-of-the-art facility was set to be fully operational by the end of November but this has now been pushed back until next spring.
During “final operational checks” and testing of the site, one of the four boilers malfunctioned and this needs to be replaced before the building can be handed over from contractors.
The UECC – which represents the largest ever capital investment by the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – is set to almost double the existing space at Scarborough Hospital on Woodlands Drive.
A new boiler has been commissioned but it will “take some time to both manufacture and install” and as such, the moving programme has been pushed back.
The trust said it was “not currently able to give a new date for the move” but anticipated that the centre would be operational “by the early spring”
A spokesperson added:
“We recognise that it’s disappointing as everyone is keen to get into the new space as soon as possible, but it’s important that we don’t move until we’re ready as it’s a complex process to transfer these services from the old areas into the new.”
Described as a “game-changer” for healthcare on the coast, the promise of brand new facilities has already helped to attract new medical staff as well as creating jobs in other roles including catering and cleaning.
In addition to a new CT scanner and two new X-ray machines, the centre comes with a secure room for highly infectious diseases and the whole building can be securely divided into two sections in the case of a wider outbreak, such as Covid-19.
More than £800,000 has been raised by the York and Scarborough Hospitals Charity to fund projects which will enhance the patient experience including creating four outdoor terraces and providing accommodation suites for relatives.
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