Publish date: 27 November 2025
Next steps to progress Berwick's new hospital
The next steps to progress the construction of Berwick Community Hospital have been announced.
Merit, who was Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s, construction partner was placed in administration last week.
The trust has now appointed, Opus Building Services Limited, as an interim contractor and has also begun the process to appoint a replacement contractor to complete the new hospital.
Damon Kent, managing director, Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, said: “We are pleased to be able to provide people with an update on the next steps to ensure the construction of our new hospital continues to progress well. We would like to reassure people that we know how much this facility means to our staff, patients and local communities.
“Opus, our interim contractor, are now established on site, and we are very pleased that they have re-employed most of the on-site Merit team.
“The past few weeks have been difficult for many, but we are now able to focus on finishing what is going to be an excellent health facility for the residents of Berwick and the surrounding areas. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to give an updated timeline in relation to when our new hospital will be completed. We appreciate everyone’s patience, and we would like to reassure people that we will keep everyone updated as we progress things.”
Internally, the installation of floors, walls, ceilings and staircases in the new hospital building has been completed. The inpatient ward and Well Close Medical Group areas are nearly completed. The next phase will include completing work in the theatre and endoscopy areas.
The trust will then need to test and validate all the services in the building to make sure that everything works the way it should before our staff and patients can access the hospital.
Externally, work to tidy up the site to ensure it is as safe and secure as it should be is on-going. Glazing work will also be carried out, along with some work on the plant equipment on the roof. The cladding and groundworks will then need to be completed.
Marion Dickson, Northumbria Healthcare’s executive director for nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals, said: “We do appreciate that further delay in the completion of our new hospital will cause frustration and worry. We would like to reassure everyone that we are doing all we can to progress things as quickly as we can.
“We continue to constantly look at what patient services we can bring to Berwick. We are pleased that in addition to all the existing services, we will have endoscopy back at the new hospital, along with audiology, ophthalmology, gynaecology and colposcopy.
“We are committed to ensuring our hospital is the best it can be for both our staff and patients.”
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