A new £12 million unit at Wharfedale Hospital, which includes operating theatres and wards, is now open, reducing patient waiting times for surgery and providing dedicated space for planned operations. This development further strengthens the longstanding partnership between Invesis and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT), which dates back to 2004, when Invesis delivered the 76-bed hospital as part of a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract.
Under the PFI agreement, Invesis is responsible for managing the hospital facilities for a 30-year concession period, ensuring the long-term sustainability of Wharfedale Hospital. The new unit, known as the Elective Care Hub, increases operating theatre capacity and enhances service delivery for patients, allowing more surgeries to be performed each week in a protected environment away from LTHT’s main acute sites.
The Elective Care Hub includes two new operating theatres (bringing the total at the hospital to four), a recovery area, and an admissions and discharge area, alongside an operational ward available overnight. The expansion allows for surgeries including general procedures, minor cancers, urology, and benign gynaecology. In addition, the space for clinical services has been increased, with improvements such as the day unit and phlebotomy services moving into refurbished areas, along with a new dedicated hysteroscopy treatment suite.
It is estimated that an additional 3,500 people will be treated annually at the Hub, with patients benefiting from the quieter, more relaxed environment and faster treatments times.
Invesis is proud to support this expansion, which also provides additional capacity for teams from Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust. This collaboration enables both trusts to tackle the post-Covid backlog of elective operations and deliver improved patient care.
Mila Lopez Simon, Managing Director at Invesis, said: ‘We are delighted to continue our longstanding partnership with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. The new Elective Care Hub at Wharfedale Hospital is a testament to the benefits of public-private collaboration in delivering world-class healthcare infrastructure. We are proud to have supported the Trust in this significant expansion and to contribute to faster, more efficient patient care. Our commitment to ensuring the hospital’s smooth operation and sustainability remains unwavering.’
Professor Phil Wood, Chief Executive at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: ‘I really appreciated visiting the new Elective Care Hub and meeting team members. I know patients are going to find it a great place to come, not just because of the facilities, but also because of how they’ll be looked after.’
The Hub increases protected space and theatres to see planned-in patients, enhancing their experience and meaning we can see more patients more quickly.
‘This investment underlines our commitment to provide the right kinds of services at Wharfedale Hospital and ensuring it has a sustainable future. It’s fantastic news for the Otley community as well as our patients from further afield and our staff.’
Craige Richardson, Director of Estates and Facilities at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: ‘The Elective Care Hub represents a significant enhancement to the hospital, purpose-built to ensure efficient, high-quality patient care.’
Russell Nightingale, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust’s Chief Operating Officer and Senior Responsible Officer for Elective Recovery, said: ‘The Elective Care Hub at Wharfedale Hospital further strengthens the trusts’ working relationship. The new facilities will provide extra capacity for treating long wait patients and reduce overall waiting times for patients at both trusts. It will enable us to further improve on the quality of care we provide and to continue to deliver a first-class service for our patients.’