A new £27 m pathology laboratory at St James’s University Hospital in Leeds has moved a step closer, with the appointment of BAM Construction as the design and build contractor under ProCure22.
The new facility – which will also provide pathology services to hospitals across West Yorkshire and Harrogate – will allow Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to bring many of its pathology services together into a single purpose-built ‘state-of-the-art’ laboratory. Leeds-based BAM Construction previously delivered the Trust’s interoperative MRI scheme and NHS Nightingale hospital.
Built to accommodate ‘cutting-edge’ equipment and specialist technology, the new laboratory will be designed for ‘fast, accurate, routine, and specialist’ testing. It will allow some of the services currently housed in outdated facilities in the Old Medical School at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) to move to the new laboratory. The development is part of Leeds Teaching Hospitals’ ‘Building the Leeds Way’ programme, a long-term vision to transform healthcare facilities across the Trust for patients and staff. Work on a new adults’ hospital and a new home for Leeds Children’s Hospital on the Leeds General Infirmary site has already begun.
BAM has begun work on designs for the new pathology facility, which will include engagement with service-users in hospitals across Leeds, West Yorkshire, and Harrogate.
Simon Worthington (pictured left), the Trust’s director of Finance, said the appointment of BAM Construction as the PSCP was ‘a step forward’ for the project, adding: “This is a huge milestone, and will mean we can move forward at pace to progress to a full design.”
Paul Cleminson (right of photo), BAM’s Preconstruction director, said: “We are really pleased to continue our working partnership with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. This pathology project allows us to build on that trust and understanding that our expertise in modern methods of construction, carbon net zero, and smart digital technologies can deliver a true future-proofed building serving needs across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.
“This scheme has the potential to push the boundaries of what digital construction can achieve, so we are very excited about not only the benefits it will bring for local people, but also what can be learned to help us all improve all healthcare buildings.”
‘Subject to progress’, BAM anticipates starting on site late this year, and completing late in Spring 2023.
