A temporary road closure will be in place at the James Cook University Hospital this week to enable a new urgent treatment centre (UTC) to be built next to the hospital’s emergency department.
The UTC, which is due to open in March 2024, will be lifted onto site in pre-built modular blocks by a crane which will be sited on the road outside of the hospital’s emergency department from 6am on Thursday 30 November to the afternoon of Monday 4 December.
To enable this to happen safely, there will be no access past the emergency department for pedestrians or vehicles for this five-day period.
The emergency department will be open as usual at all times, but any vehicles coming onto site from the main Marton Road entrance will only be able to turn right.
This means that anyone driving onto site to drop off a patient at the emergency department will need to enter from the north end of the site via the Roseberry Park entrance road – this diversion will be clearly signposted from Marton Road.
In a life threatening emergency patients should still call 999. Ambulances will be able to use the existing ambulance only access lane and crews have been fully briefed about the work taking place.
Anyone walking onto site from Marton Road to access the emergency department should enter the site via the Roseberry Park entrance road or the footpath near the north entrance visitor car park (opposite Toby Carvery).
Pedestrians coming onto site from the main entrance will not be able to walk past the crane and will be diverted via the main South Entrance reception from which the emergency department will be clearly marked.
Fran Bowden, senior clinical general manager for emergency care said: “We expect traffic on site to be very busy while this essential work takes place. If you are coming onto the hospital site for appointments on these days please consider using public transport and allow extra time for your journey.
“You can also help us by only accessing the emergency department for genuine emergencies. Always think GP and pharmacist first and remember our urgent treatment centres at Redcar and Northallerton are open seven days a week for minor illnesses and injuries.
“If you have an urgent but non-life threatening medical need and you are not sure which health service is right for you please use NHS 111 online.
“We thank you in advance for your patience while these lifting works are carried out and we look forward to opening our new UTC in March 2024, providing a fantastic new facility for the local community while also reducing pressures on our busy emergency department and ensuring our patients are seen in the right place for their health needs.”
For the latest updates visit www.southtees.nhs.uk/hospitals/james-cook/getting-here
Be the first to comment