Fryatt Hospital and Mayflower Medical Centre, Harwich

Building work at the new Fryatt Hospital and Mayflower Medical Centre, Harwich was completed on Monday 28th November 2005.

Click here to see photos of the completed building

Over the next few weeks services will be decanted into the new facility prior to demolition work commencing on the old hospital in Spring 2006.

Harwich Hospital and Dovercourt Health Centre

Ground Breaking! HARWICH MP Ivan Henderson joined PCT Chairman David Rex in donning a hard hat and wielding a spade, to celebrate the start of building at the new Harwich Hospital and Dovercourt Health Centre.

The official 'ground breaking' event took place on a sunny morning in early September. Among the invited guests were MP for North Essex Bernard Jenkin, Chair of Tendring District Council Cllr Mrs Christine Turner, and the Deputy Mayor of Harwich Cllr John Ford. A number of Tendring PCT's executive and non-executive directors attended, along with staff from Harwich Hospital, GPs from Dovercourt Health Centre and members of the Patient and Public Involvement Forum. Representatives of the Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT), Realise Health Ltd (the company established to oversee NHS LIFT projects in Tendring and Colchester during the next 20 years), and construction contractor M J Gleeson were also involved in the ceremony.

On site to record the occasion were photographers from local newspapers and a television camera crew from 'Anglia News'.

Following the event, PCT Chief Executive, Paul Unsworth, said: "After many months of discussion and planning, it's good to see work finally start. People in Harwich can now look forward to 21st century healthcare facilities for the town - including many additional services to those currently on offer, reducing the need for patients to travel to Colchester."

Plans for the £12.3 million development include a theatre for carrying out a range of minor operations, such as cataract surgery, an endoscopy suite and a multi-agency group therapy room. A state-of-the-art maternity suite with secure access is to be integrated into the hospital. In addition, community dentistry, district nurses and health visitors will have a purpose-built base at the hospital. There are also plans for a medical library and resource centre for public use, as well as enhanced diagnostic facilities.

Building and fitting-out of the new hospital are scheduled for completion by November 2005. There will then be a three-month 'decanting period' before the old hospital is demolished, leaving room for a new permanent access road to be constructed.

The development of the new hospital and health centre forms part of the first wave of improvements in north east Essex to be carried out by Realise Health Ltd and financed under the NHS LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust) initiative following a successful joint application to the Department of Health by Tendring and Colchester PCTs.

The premises were designed by Nightingale Associates and the main contractor on the scheme is MJ Gleeson.