£1m new theatres for hospital
Two brand new state-of-the-art operating theatres are being built at Cannock Hospital at a cost of over £1 million.
The cash injection is a major investment into the hospital and the two theatres are being built in a previously under-used section of the building.
The two operating theatres will be used to carry out endoscopy procedures for local patients and will be up and running by September.
Endoscopy is the direct visual examination of any part of the inside of the body, using an endoscope, an optical viewing instrument used to view the internal body organs.
Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals Trust carried out almost 4,000 endoscopies during the last 12 months.
The operating theatres are being built as part of a partnership between the hospitals trust and private firm Howarth Medical.
Construction started in early March and the twin operating theatres will become operational in early September. The theatres can also be used for orthopaedic surgery, gastroenterology patients and day case procedures.
The hospital will lease the theatres from Howorth on a contract including full maintenance for five years, with an option to extend to 10.
In an 18-week programme, Howorth will construct the groundworks and steel framework to first-floor level, before installing the modular-build theatre, 70 per cent of which will be fitted out off site.
Karen Morrey, chief operating officer, said: "We are delighted to be expanding our capacity at Cannock Chase Hospital, which is part of our on-going commitment to developing services for the local community."
She added: "These new facilities will enable more endoscopy patients to be seen, which will also reduce waiting times."
