Ceremony marks one year on since building work started on region's new Eye Hospital

A ceremony hit the heights to mark one year since work began on a landmark building which will see the region's only standalone eye hospital make the move to Sunderland city centre.

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust will transfer all its clinical services from Sunderland Eye Infirmary to the new site off Plater Way, with the new location part of the Riverside Sunderland regeneration project.

Once complete in 2026, the new Eye Hospital will continue Sunderland's proud legacy of providing specialist eye care for people across the North East and beyond.

It will house the region's nationally renowned Cataract Treatment Centre (CTC), a 24/7 Eye Emergency Department and, for the first time, have a Day of Surgery Admissions (DOSA) unit. This is where patients coming in for surgery will have their procedure before being discharged home later that day. 

There will also be dedicated facilities for children who will have their own waiting and recovery area. The new Eye Hospital will continue to support world-leading research and provide much improved education and training facilities for its own staff, as well as those training in the region and starting out in their NHS careers.

The new building will be completely paper free at the point of care as the Trust continues its work as one of the most digitally advanced Trusts in the whole NHS.

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust is working in partnership with Sunderland City Council and construction partner Kier to deliver the project.

To mark a year since work began on the former Vaux Brewery site, all three partners gathered for a topping out ceremony on the top of the new build.

Trust Chief Executive Ken Bremner MBE, Council Leader Cllr Michael Mordey and Regional Director Dan Doherty from Kier Construction each helped fill in the final gap in a block of concrete to complete that section.

Construction will now press on to add the roof to the building, while work has already started to add the panels to the side of the structure. Construction is also ongoing on the energy centre linked to the main hospital.

Trust Chief Executive Ken Bremner said: "This is a milestone day in our project to create a fantastic new eye hospital in Sunderland. It will see our outstanding eye services get the fit for purpose surroundings which reflect the hospital's position as one of the country's top specialist centres for eye care.

"It is a delight to stand side by side with our partners to mark this day and see the progress already made on the site. Thousands of people pass it every day and it's been fascinating to see the build rise up from the ground.

"We can't wait for that moment when we open its doors and welcome our staff, patients and their loved ones to facilities which will be modern, bright and fit for the future."

Cllr Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: "It is fantastic to see work progressing apace on this world-class facility, which once complete, will see Sunderland house the region's only dedicated specialist standalone Eye Hospital.

"Caring for patients from across the North East and beyond, it is yet another fantastic development rising from the ground at Riverside Sunderland, which is fast becoming one of the UK's largest and most ambitious urban regeneration projects of its kind."

Dan Doherty, regional director for Kier Construction North and Scotland said: "We are incredibly proud to be part of this transformative project that will significantly enhance healthcare services in the region.

"This milestone marks an important step towards delivering what will be an outstanding hospital, designed to meet the needs of patients and staff alike.

"We look forward to continuing our work with South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust and Sunderland City Council to bring this vision to life."

The STS Charity, which is run by the Trust to support its staff and make patient experiences even better, is running a £1 million appeal to get additional kit and extras for the new hospital.

More details about how to donate, the kit the funds will be used to buy and the page where online cash support can be pledged can be found through the Vision Appeal page of the STS Charity section of the Trust website: Vision Appeal https://www.stsft.nhs.uk/our-charity/appeals-campaigns/vision-appeal