Public to be consulted on new BRI centre

The public is to be consulted alongside staff, patients and governors of Bradford's hospital trust to help decide what services will be provided in anew £28 million ward block.

Directors of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust agreed last year, subject to satisfactory financial performance, to construct two new wards and a revised main entrance at Bradford Royal Infirmary from April, 2012. The ward block, the biggest single project of a capital programme which will see £75million spent on improving patient care in Bradford’s hospitals over the next five years, will house a medical assessment facility for adult and elderly patients to replace wards three and four and one other service – either cancer or a new children’s unit.

The plans for the ward rest on the successful delivery of a three-year efficiency programme to save £50 million.

A consultation event for the public to attend will take place at Bradford Royal Infirmary on Monday, March 7 in the lecture theatre. Events for staff will take place at BRI on Thursday, March 3, and at St Luke’s on Tuesday, March 15. Information will also be made available on the trust’s Internet site to allow the public to review each of the proposals. The board of directors will then make a final decision on Wednesday, April 27th.

An artist's impression of what the new ward block might look like.