Matt has joined a special groundbreaking event has signalled the start of building works at the new Diagnostic Hospital in Stockton Town Centre
The ‘groundbreaking’ event marked the first spade going into the ground in the construction works on the site of the former Castlegate Shopping Centre in Stockton Town Centre.
Matt was invited to the event as the local MP responsible for securing the £25 million funding which will make this project possible.
Local Susan Parr was invited to perform the first dig. Susan, from Fairfield, was one of the first patients to be treated as a diagnostic patient when another part of the community based service started at Lawson Street Health Centre in Stockton.
Also present at the event included representatives from organisations leading the scheme including North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board and NTH Solutions.
The Diagnostic Hospital will deliver lifesaving health checks, tests and scans to patients of both North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Matt Vickers MP said: “I was delighted to join the ‘ground breaking event’ held to mark the start of works on the Diagnostic Hospital following £25 million government funding.
“This is an enormous project which will see local people able to access 104,000 lifesaving checks per year.
“The diagnostic hospital, based in the town centre, will be quick and convenient, reducing waitlists at North Tees and South Tees hospitals.
“It was touching to meet a resident who has already benefited from the community diagnostic services who is now supporting the project in the belief fellow residents will soon receive the same outstanding treatment.”
