18.10.18
Brand-new children’s hospital for Leeds as £450m plan revealed
New plans for a “world-class” children’s hospital site and a second state-of-the-art adult hospital building have been revealed by Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust.
The massive £450m plans are part of a major redevelopment of Leeds General Infirmary (LGI), and will be a “major boost to the health economy.”
For the first time in Leeds, the children’s hospital would bring staff and services together from the current hospital in LGI’s Clarendon and Martin wings into the new site opposite Millennium Square.
This will bring a “wonderful space filled with colour, light and fun” designed around the needs of children, young people and their families.
The adult centre would feature more critical care capacity, allowing the hospital to expand its highly specialist services such as major trauma and cardiac care.
The facility would be joined to LGI’s Jubilee wing, and forms part of what the trust calls “an ambitious, long-term proposal and a huge investment in the health of patients from Leeds, the wider region and beyond.”
The pre-application on the proposals is due to be discussed with planners at Leeds City Council on 25 October.
Julian Hartley, chief executive at the trust, said: “This is a real once-in-a-generation opportunity for us to transform hospital care in Leeds.
“We believe that this is one of the largest hospital investments in the region and will deliver world-class adult and children’s health services for people in Leeds, Yorkshire and across the north.”
There are also plans to add a second multi-storey car park, increasing the number of parking spaces by 410.
The clinical director at Leeds Children's Hospital, Mike Richards, said a new hospital would make a "huge difference" to quality of care adding “more space and more technology.”
"It would allow us to give a more homely, comforting and supportive environment which may reduce length of stay and allow us to have a more efficient use of our resources."
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