BUILDERS across the region are being invited to tender for millions of pounds worth of work to construct a new hospital.

Work has now started on the the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington, Northumberland. In September, Lend Lease was appointed as construction contractors for the development and in partnership with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust are now inviting local companies to tender for work which will be sub contracted.

A drop in Meet the Buyer event is being held at the Trust’s headquarters at Cobalt Business Park, North Tyneside on Friday December 14 from 12pm until 5pm. Lend Lease has already sublet some work packages to local firms such as Balfour Beatty Engineering Services Ltd, Owen Pugh, Middleton Forge and Protector.  Now further work packages will be sub contracted covering everything from structural work, plumbing, electrics, roofing, fencing and landscaping, to interior fit outs and decoration, including flooring and signage. 

Jim Mackey, Chief Executive at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said: “From the outset we have been clear that we wanted the construction of our new specialist emergency care hospital to benefit the local economy and we have asked our contractors Lend Lease to use North East workers and suppliers wherever possible.

“This is one of the biggest construction projects taking place in the North- East at the moment and work over the coming months will create much needed jobs for local people at a time when the economy is struggling.

”We have a whole host of sub contracting opportunities available and we’re encouraging firms from across the region to come along and find out more at our Meet the Buyer event.”

North East Chamber of Commerce Director of Policy, Ross Smith, said: “This sort of large-scale infrastructure development provides a great opportunity for North East firms, particularly smaller firms and sub-contractors.

“Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust must be congratulated for its commitment to attracting regional firms to carry out this important work.”

The new Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital will be the first of its kind in the country to have specialists on hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  It will have an A&E department, admission and inpatient wards, hi-tech diagnostics and critical care, as well as a short-stay paediatric facility and a maternity unit.