The future of Northallerton’s beloved Friarage Hospital has been secured following the opening of a brand-new £35.5 million surgical centre, a major milestone in the transformation of local healthcare services.
Rishi Sunak MP officially opened the state-of-the-art facility alongside long-serving theatre nurse Anne Lamb, celebrating a momentous day for the hospital and the wider community. The new surgical centre firmly establishes the Friarage as a national centre of excellence and will allow the hospital to double its annual operations to 10,000, including vital procedures such as cancer surgery, hip and knee replacements, and gall bladder surgery.
The facility, delivered on time and on budget, features:
- Six advanced operating theatres
- Two minor operations rooms
- 12 recovery bays
- A dedicated admissions and discharge area
Rishi said:
“The opening of the Friarage Surgical Centre was an emotional day for everyone who loves this hospital.
When I first became the local MP ten years ago, there was real concern that the Friarage would close.
But thanks to this investment, and other returned or improved services, we’ve secured the Friarage’s future serving this very rural area.”
He paid tribute to hospital staff, NHS leaders, campaigners, and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to safeguard and enhance services. He also thanked the Friends of the Friarage, the volunteer-run charity supporting the hospital in countless ways.
Sarah Baker, lead nurse for the surgical project, said:
“Rishi has been with us all the way and we appreciate his passion for the hospital, the staff who work here and the patients it serves.”
A Campaign Years in the Making
The opening marks the culmination of years of work to protect and modernise services at the Friarage. Back in 2019, when the A&E department was downgraded, Rishi organised a public meeting to hear concerns and explore solutions. Senior clinicians at the meeting made clear that modern surgical facilities were key to the hospital’s long-term survival.
Rishi worked closely with NHS managers and medical leaders to make the case – successfully securing Government support for the new surgical centre in 2022.
Since that pivotal moment, the Friarage has seen a wave of major developments:
- 2020: New eye unit opens, treating up to 14,000 patients annually
- 2021: New kidney dialysis unit opens, saving long journeys to James Cook or Darlington
- 2021: New education centre opens to train doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals
- 2022: Rishi brings the CEO of NHS England to visit the Friarage and see its transformation
- 2022: £5m urology and endoscopy rapid diagnostics centre completed
- 2023: Construction of the surgical hub begins
Now, with the new surgical centre fully operational, the Friarage is not just surviving, it is thriving.
Rishi concluded:
“I’ve always said the Friarage is my number one priority locally. This new centre secures its place at the heart of our healthcare system for years to come.”
