Ergéa was proud to attend the ground-breaking Ceremony marking the start of building on the new Endoscopy Unit as part of our MES contract with North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust. Once complete, this well-equipped new endoscopy unit will be able to treat more patients, helping to reduce waiting lists, and improve timely diagnosis, particularly for cancers.
Our Ergéa team attended the Ceremony, and was joined by clinical leaders from the Trust and our partner Actiform.
We are delighted to announce the launch of this project. This achievement is the result of our collaborative efforts with the Trust, where we identified a cost-effective and rapid solution designed to exceed current requirements for their new Endoscopy department.
This brand-new Endoscopy Unit will increase the Trust’s capacity, upgrade procedure rooms, improve the patient’s experience for treatment and diagnosis, and help reduce backlogs in waiting lists. Most importantly, the new unit will ensure earlier cancer diagnosis and help improve survival rates.
John Wilkinson, Transformation Director at Ergéa UK
“It’s really good news to see this project underway, as it will have such great benefits for our local communities across north Cumbria and for our staff.
When it is up and running the new facility will have more clinics rooms that all meet modern standards which we are not able to meet in the current environment. Expanding our endoscopy service will help us to make faster diagnoses and meet the rising demand for the service. It also brings the Unit in line with what we already have at the West Cumberland Hospital following the redevelopment in 2015.”
Mr. Daya Karat, Clinical Director
Work is progressing very well the excavation of the original site is now complete and retaining wall structures are now starting to go up. The Cumberland Infirmary currently has only one endoscopy room which is of a suitable size and two smaller rooms that do not meet national accreditation standards. The new build will include five clinical rooms as well as an outpatients area. The expansion of the service also means patients currently travelling to Newcastle for a procedure can be seen more locally in Carlisle.
The main benefits of the unit are:
• Patients will be able to access endoscopy faster – 99% of patients will receive their diagnostic procedure within six weeks of referral in line with national standards
• The additional rooms will have capacity to provide a further 30 lists per week avoiding unnecessary travel outside of the region
• Accreditation with the national Joint Advisory Group (JAG) on GI Endoscopy will be achievable, showing best practice and the highest of standards
I am delighted to see this investment in facilities at the Cumberland Infirmary. When the unit is finished it will be an important step forward for this hospital and a key step towards bringing down waiting lists locally. Waiting for appointments and test results is a stressful time for everyone so I was pleased to hear from staff today how this new unit will help expand the Infirmary’s endoscopy service and ultimately lead to faster diagnoses and reduced waiting times.
Julie Minns, MP for Carlisle
It is important that the Cumberland Infirmary continues to provide the first-rate services on a par with other regions. Investments like this will be a big help in ensuring we have a healthier population around Carlisle and North Cumbria which is one of the key challenges we face over the next few years.
As part of this MES contract, our team works in a collaborative way with our partner Actiform to deliver a comprehensive turnkey solution, utilising the latest Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). This project has been designed to meet high environmental standards and comply with national healthcare regulations
The project is expected to be completed by March 2025.
