BUILDING work on the new £12 million maternity unit at Furness General Hospital began today (Friday, September 23).

The state-of-the art maternity unit, which will include 14 en-suite birthing rooms, two dedicated theatres, a Special Care Baby Unit, Maternity Assessment, and a Bereavement Suite, is due to be completed by December 2017. 

Sascha Wells, director for midwifery at Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, said: “Today is not just about laying the physical foundations of our new maternity unit; it’s about laying the foundations for the future. It’s about the Trust and the local community moving forward together. 

“Right from the start, we involved local women and their families so we could be absolutely certain that the new unit met their needs and wishes, alongside that of our front-line staff to ensure the highest possible standards in maternity care are met.

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“This has resulted in a unit that we truly believe will transform Maternity Services across Morecambe Bay and help us to provide the very best services and care for the women and families it serves.”

Maternity Services at Furness General Hospital will continue to be delivered out of the current unit until the new one is built and handed over to the Trust in December 2017.

To ensure the safety of patients, staff and contractors, there will be diversions of some footpaths and roads within the hospital grounds while construction work is on-going. Access to all parts of the hospital will be maintained at all times.

Regular updates on the new unit’s progress will be shared on the Trust’s social media pages www.facebook.com/UHMBT and www.Twitter.com/UHMBT and via a dedicated web page on the Trust’s website at www.uhmbt.nhs.uk.