New pathology laboratory for West Yorkshire to “take healthcare to the next level”

Work has begun on a new “state-of-the-art” pathology laboratory to serve patients in Leeds, West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

The facility, at St James’s Hospital, Leeds, will support hospitals across the region to improve diagnostics for patients and help to meet the growing regional demand for specialist treatment and care, as well as providing development opportunities for staff.

Leeds based BAM Construction has begun work on the site at the north end of the St James’s Hospital campus and is currently preparing the ground ready for building the new laboratory. The new facility is expected to be completed in the summer of next year and become operational in the autumn.

It will be part of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Pathology Network, formed through the collaboration of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), and will support the delivery of pathology services to patients across the region.

The start of works on site is a boost for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s wider health improvement plan which includes the development of a new adults’ hospital, a new home for Leeds Children’s Hospital and the largest single-site maternity centre in the UK in one building on the Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) site.

The new pathology laboratory will allow the Trust to incorporate most of its pathology services currently housed in outdated facilities in the Old Medical School at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) as well as some of those delivered from St James’s University Hospital.

The vacated Old Medical School building will form part of a plan to use surplus estate at the LGI to develop an innovation village which could create up to 3,000 new jobs and deliver up to £11.2bn in net present value.

Simon Worthington, the Trust’s director of finance and senior responsible officer for the ‘Building the Leeds Way’ Programme, said: “Seeing the contractors moving onto the site to start building the new laboratory at St James’s Hospital is a real boost for everyone and the beginning of exciting times in the development of healthcare for Leeds and the wider region.

“Pathology teams have continued to do a tremendous job in the fast turnaround of testing during the Covid pandemic while working in outdated facilities. The new laboratory will mean they will be able to work with new state-of-the-art equipment and buildings which will help provide an even better service for patients.”

Dame Linda Pollard, chair of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, added: “The Government decision on the new pathology laboratory shows how committed they are to our exciting plans for taking healthcare to the next level in Leeds, the Yorkshire region and beyond.

“Our development of two new hospitals and a new innovation district for the city is also the catalyst for the wider regeneration of Leeds city centre with the innovation district bringing new investment and jobs.”