£15m New Cross Hospital pathology unit is hailed as first class
A new £15 million pathology department being built at Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital will be a "great boost" and provide "first class facilities" health chiefs said today.
The three-storey building which will house the departments of microbiology, blood sciences, clinical chemistry, histopathology and cytology is being built as part of a £100m transformation of the hospital. Bosses have revealed that staff will begin moving to the new base in March and that once open it will be a "one-stop shop" with facilities for blood testing, infection control and infection detection.
Mike Goodwin, head of estates development for The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "This is a major investment for the trust and will help us deliver first class pathology services.
"It is a really significant development for the trust".
Work on the site is expected to be finished by February 18 and the equipment will then have to be installed, which is expected to take around four weeks.
However some items have already been put in including blood analysis equipment in the blood sciences department and benches which have been fitted in the laboratories.
The pathology development is seen as a milestone in the trusts's long-term plans to revamp the hospital site.
Plans were announced last year for a new £25million accident and emergency department to cope with rising numbers of patients.
Work is also starting on a £3.5million car park extension which it is hoped will help ease parking problems.
