Plans unveiled for £36 million eye hospital in Sunderland
Video report by Amy Lea
£36 million plans have been unveiled to build a new eye hospital in Sunderland at the Vaux site.
Current facilities at the Sunderland Eye Infirmary, which provides specialist care to people across the region, are more than 75 years old.
Services will be moved to the new centre, which South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust hopes will open by 2024.
Sunderland Eye Infirmary is one of few specialist standalone eye hospitals in the country and the region's only dedicated centre for ophthalmology care.
The trust says that a brand new, fit-for-purpose eye hospital has long been part of its strategic ambitions and has now been made possible thanks to partnership working with Sunderland City Council.
All clinical services currently provided from Sunderland Eye Infirmary will transfer to the new facility to be delivered from a new modern, purpose-built environment in a more accessible city centre location.
Clinical Director for Ophthalmology services and Consultant Ophthalmologist Mr Jean-Pierre Danjoux said: "Staff at the Eye Infirmary are absolutely thrilled at the prospect of a brand new hospital as there is no doubt that our current building is dated and no longer fit for purpose.
Funding for the development has been provided by the local authority and will be repaid by the trust to allow the relocation of the hospital to the former Vaux site.
Mr Ken Bremner MBE, Chief Executive of South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust said: "Our ambitions for a new Eye Hospital in Sunderland have been a long time in the making.
"Announcing our development plans is a historic moment for the Trust and represents a major investment into the local NHS thanks to our collaboration with Sunderland City Council."
"We now look forward to involving patients, staff and the wider public in the design process ahead and as we work together to progress plans to the next stage."
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