New £32m care hub aims to reduce operations wait

A £32m care hub specialising in spinal and orthopaedic operations in Leeds has been given the go-ahead by NHS England.

The facility at Chapel Allerton Hospital will include a 23-bed ward and two operating theatres, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) said.

The project is expected to allow for 1,600 extra operations each year, a spokesperson said, reducing waiting lists for patients.

Funding from NHS England and the West Yorkshire Integrated Care System would also cover an increase of 142 staff members to run the hub.

Craige Richardson, the trust's director of estates and facilities, said: "This is fantastic news for patients in Leeds and from across the region as well as our colleagues working at the hospital.

"The purpose-built elective care hub increases protected space and theatres to see planned inpatients, enhancing their experience and meaning we can see more people more quickly."

LTHT said it planned to open the facility by November 2027.

Health minister Karin Smyth said: "This investment will help thousands more people get the treatment they need sooner.

"Dedicated elective hubs like this are crucial to cutting waiting times, by allowing surgery to go ahead all year round without disruption from emergency pressures."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.