As part of an investment of over £27m, work has now been completed on six new state of the art operating theatres at Darlington Memorial Hospital.   A further six existing theatres will now be upgraded, bringing significant benefits to patients from across County Durham and Darlington. Commenting, Consultant General Surgeon, Andy Gilliam, said, “This investment is of huge importance.  We already perform around 10,000 surgical procedures at Darlington Memorial Hospital each year, offering a wide range of surgeries from life-saving cancer treatments to joint replacements which make the world of difference to patients who have been in pain and struggling with mobility.  As the population ages and new surgical opportunities become available, inevitably, demand increases and it’s exciting that these very modern, state of the art facilities mean that we will be able to incorporate new procedures and techniques as they become available in the future.   The increased capacity will also mean shorter waiting times for our patients.”
Trust chief executive, Sue Jacques, said, “We’re delighted that the new facilities are now available for the benefit of our patients and demonstrate our commitment to Darlington Memorial Hospital.  We also hope that having the very best surgical facilities will attract the very best staff to be part of our existing excellent teams.” In addition to six theatres, the new building incorporates a mortuary and bereavement suite.