HPA gives the green light to multi-million pound investment in North East laboratory services

26 June 2008

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) today announced a multi-million pound investment in new specialist laboratory services for people in the North East. The three million pound package was approved by the Agency at its board meeting on 18 June and endorsed yesterday by the board of Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust which will be providing a large proportion of the accommodation.

The HPA's regional laboratory provides expert diagnostic and confirmatory testing for a wide range of infectious illnesses including sexually transmitted infections, food poisoning, influenza and tuberculosis (TB). It is also one of the few laboratories in the country able to carry out advanced DNA fingerprinting tests which identify different strains of TB and whether they are linked or not.

Currently, the laboratory is based in facilities at Newcastle General Hospital site which is set for redevelopment as a world class 'Campus for Ageing & Vitality'. All acute hospital services on this site will be transferred to improved accommodation at the Freeman Hospital and Royal Victoria Infirmary as part of the 'Transforming Newcastle Hospitals' major investment initiative.

Agreement has been reached with the Newcastle Hospitals trust to relocate the range of complex clinical microbiology services provided by the laboratory to alternative accommodation at both the Freeman Hospital and the Royal Victoria Infirmary. New accommodation is also being negotiated for the laboratory's Food, Water and Environmental Services department with the Environment Agency in their Newcastle premises.

HPA Chairman Sir William Stewart said: "This is excellent news for public health protection services in the North East. The three million pound investment package we have announced today will give the people of the North East one of the most advanced regional laboratory services in the country. It also demonstrates the Agency's commitment to the excellent specialist services provided by regional laboratories which play such a vital role in strengthening the frontline for public health protection nationally and internationally."

ENDS

Issued by Karen Lloyd, 0191 4446111 / 07834 311395 / Karen.lloyd@hpa.org.uk

Last reviewed: 14 January 2009