Work starts on new Ophthalmology unit at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital

Work is now underway and a ground breaking event was held on Thursday, October 15, to mark the start of the development which is expected to open in October 2021. The new department will be in addition to current facilities at Royal Preston Hospital and the trust is working with Interserve Group Limited to deliver the scheme.

Karen Partington, chief executive at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said “We are really pleased to be able to provide this additional facility which will help us to improve patient experience and will give our patients a choice of location and access to state-of-the-art facilities. The unit will include a dedicated outpatient and diagnostic space as well as three additional theatres to provide extra capacity for patients requiring a variety of day case procedures.

“It is really exciting that work is now underway on our Chorley site and we look forward to opening the department next year.”

Shveta Bansal, consultant in ophthalmology and clinical director for the programme, said: “We are delighted that work is underway to build this new facility which will provide a better patient experience and help us to reduce waiting times for treatment. The highest volume of patients in a hospital is within an eye department so it is really important that we have the facilities and space that we need deliver the very best care for our patients.”

Phil Shaw, divisional director at Interserve Construction, said: “Interserve Construction’s appointment as the PSCP on this project is a real testament to the expertise within our team. It also reflects Interserve’s excellent track record in delivering some of the best NHS facilities in the UK, where have demonstrated our capabilities on major landmark projects including the Christies Proton Beam Therapy in Manchester and the Rutherford Cancer Centre in Liverpool.”