New £300m Hartlepool hospital could boost local economy

Proposals for a new £300m hospital on the outskirts of Hartlepool has potential to boost the local economy and create ‘hundreds of jobs.’

The NECC’s Hartlepool Committee were unanimous in their enthusiasm for the project to build a new hospital at Wynyard.

The NHS facility will serve Hartlepool. Stockton and parts of Easington and Sedgefield and will replace outdated facilities at the University Hospital of Hartlepool and the University Hospital of North Tees.

NECC Head of Member Relations, Rachel Anderson, said: “The Hartlepool Committee is in favour of any proposals that will improve business conditions in and around the town and improving access on this particular pinch point would have major benefits in easing congestion and generally improving the Tees Valley transport infrastructure.

“Our members are excited by the proposals for the new hospital.

“The construction of the facility alone has the potential to create hundreds of jobs, but afterwards local procurement conditions could lead to years of healthy public sector contracts for North East companies.

“Sunderland City Council has already introduced a policy of buying local and we’re encouraging all of our partners in the public sector to do the same.

“This has the potential to have an enormous impact on the regional economy.”

The new hospital at Wynyard Business Park is expected to open its doors in 2017.

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust have received an initial bid from Brookfield Multiplex to design, construct and operate the new facility.

The trust will work with Brookfield Multiplex to refine the design and ensure their final bid represents value for money

Chief executive of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust Alan Foster said: “We were delighted to receive the initial bid from Brookfield Multiplex.

“It’s not unusual for schemes to be working with one bidder at this stage, especially in the current financial climate.

“Brookfield Multiplex is as committed as we are to providing a world class facility at an affordable price that will be a lasting legacy for future generations.

“As well as satisfying ourselves that the scheme is right for this area and affordable, we are also providing as much information as we can to our regulator, the Department of Health and the Treasury so they can be satisfied at this stage that the scheme is deliverable.”

A procurement deal would hopefully see services and goods purchased from local suppliers rather than being sourced outside the region.

NECC Hartlepool Committee Chairman, Peter Olsen, Board Member at Vela Housing Group, said: “The Committee was unanimous in its backing for the new hospital development, which would be fantastic for Hartlepool and Stockton and could hopefully bring with it some fantastic opportunities for local business.

“There will be a lot of opportunities for local procurement of services and we’re working closely with the Foundation Trust with a view to agreeing that local contracting conditions can be included in their plans going forward.”

The group also backed proposals for upgrades to the Wynyard/Billingham junction of the A19.

NECC last year published its “Unlocking the Barriers” report, which recommended a series of improvements to the public procurement process to help regional business tap into the supply chain for the North East public sector, which have the potential to generate an extra £1.35bn and create 6,000 North East jobs.

The report, produced in partnership with the region’s largest law firm, Dickinson Dees, focused mainly on the crucial pre-qualification stage which the public sector uses to shortlist potential suppliers.

An estimated £3.5bn is spent by the regional public sector each year buying goods and services. In the context of a £41bn economy – two-thirds of which is made up in wages – it represents a significant slice of regional business opportunities.