They’re a vital cog that keep our local hospital wheels turning.

At the most fundamental level, the army of hospital porters working across Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital get people and things where they need to be.

That’s no mean feat on its own in an organisation that welcomes almost 3,000 patients every day. But the 120-strong portering crew do so much more, and it’s because of this that the East Yorkshire team finds itself shortlisted again for a national award for the second consecutive year.

From tackling fires and responding to cardiac arrests to playing key roles in patient discharge and cutting use of harmful gases, this team has seen and done almost everything; a fact which has earned them a place on the list of finalists for the national MyPorter ‘Team of the Year’ award 2024.

Porters at Hull Royal Infirmary

Not only this, but Mark Goodfellow, a porter for just 12 months based at Castle Hill Hospital has also been shortlisted in the category, ‘Newcomer of the Year’.

Over 300 nominations were received into the MyPorter awards this year from hospital trusts across the country.

Graham Taylor, Interim Portering, Postal and Switchboard Manager for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“I’m so proud to manage a team whose skills are so diverse and who play such an important role in the running of the hospitals for everyone; staff, patients and visitors alike.

“It’s not often people stop to think about what the role of a porter actually entails, and even when they do, they often just think of someone pushing a patient in a bed or a wheelchair from place to place. But it’s the portering team who make sure fresh bed linen’s available for patients, they get food into our restaurants and cafes, they get samples to the labs for testing and they make sure staff have their medical supplies.

“They’re often first on scene when there’s a fire call or cardiac arrest, and they were called on 113 times last year to help transfer patients arriving by helicopter into hospital for trauma or emergency care. And of course, they play an absolutely vital role in reassuring our patients, putting them at ease or taking their minds off things, which can be priceless at a time when people are at their most anxious or vulnerable.”

One of the key achievements upon which the team’s award nomination was based this year is the ‘Ready to Go’ model, which is designed to make the process of discharging a patient from hospital or to another ward or unit more efficient. When booking a job, ward staff are asked to consider the MINTED* model and ensure all essential stages of preparation such as medication and transport have been arranged before the porter attends.

“This has been hugely successful, not only in terms of patient experience and getting patients where they need to be more quickly, but it’s also shaved an average of three minutes off every patient transfer job the porters complete,” Graham continues. “That means we as a team then have time back to help more people and complete more tasks, without the need for additional staff.”

Mark Goodfellow, nominated for ‘Newcomer of the Year’

The team is also contributing to the Trust’s carbon reduction efforts through the management of nitrous oxide. Now responsible for the management, distribution and replacement of this potentially harmful gas and in the majority of Trust locations, the team collects data and employs practices which are designed to minimise the harm causes by medical gases and reduce waste which could damage the environment.

Alongside the team nomination sits Mark Goodfellow, formerly a self-employed timber tradesman who worked on both the Olympic and Commonwealth games stadiums. Mark joined the team at Castle Hill Hospital as a porter in January 2023, and is now vying to be named ‘Newcomer of the Year’.

Graham says:

“Mark epitomises everything you’d look for in a great porter. Ever since he joined our Trust, he’s displayed a refreshing appetite to achieve and a keen desire to learn, putting himself forward for new roles and quickly stepping up to cover areas with staffing shortfalls.

“He’s such a positive person, he’s already earned our directorate ‘Employee of the Month’ award, which is almost unheard of for a new team member, and he regularly receives compliments and thank yous from the staff, patients and families he comes into contact with.

“I wish him and the team the very best of luck at the awards this month; they really deserve the wins.”

Winners will be announced at the national MyPorter awards ceremony which takes place in central London on Wednesday 21^st February.

* Preparations staff undertake as part of ‘MINTED’.

M = Medication ready?
 I = Patient Informed?
N = Notes packed?
T = Transport correct?
E = Escort available?
D = Dignity check completed?

Missing nativity scene is found and returned to hospital staff

A 49-year-old nativity scene taken from the Haven at Hull Royal Infirmary before Christmas has been returned.

The 16-piece nativity scene, a one-off set made entirely from clay, was purchased by Senior Site Chaplain, Allison Cline-Dean more than 49 years ago when she lived in Canada.

Senior Site Chaplain, Allison Cline-Dean, is delighted to have had her nativity scene returned

The nativity scene was put on display in the Haven at Hull Royal Infirmary for visitors to enjoy, but disappeared on the final weekend before Christmas. Chaplaincy staff believed it to have been mistaken for a donation and taken in error.

But despite a social media appeal before Christmas for its safe return, shared over 700 times on the hospital’s facebook page alone, there was no news, until earlier today when a gentleman walked into the hospital reception with a very special delivery.

Caryl Allen works in the patient administration team at Hull Royal Infirmary’s main reception. She says:

“I was covering reception and a gentleman came to the window with a bag in his hand, and told me he had something that he thought belonged to us. I wondered what it could be, it could have been anything, so I asked him to step to the side of reception and discreetly tell me what it was.

“When he told me it was the nativity, I was shocked, and I said, I know someone who’s going to be ever so pleased!”

The gentleman told how he was helping his daughter who had recently moved house, and while clearing up at the back of the west Hull property, came across the box in a pile of rubbish. She opened the box, and showed her dad and her friend the contents, and her friend immediately recognised it from the Trust’s social media appeal.

“I think it’s disgusting that anyone could have taken it”, said the gentleman, “so I offered to return it to the hospital. I’m just pleased that they’ve got it back.”

Caryl accompanied the gentleman, who has asked to remain unnamed, up to the Haven so he could return the nativity scene to the Chaplains in person. Sadly, Allison wasn’t there, so he simply left the bag, containing all 16 pieces, undamaged and still in the original box, with Caryl to pass on.

“I called Allison and asked if she was on site, and she said yes. As soon as I said I had something for her, I could tell in her voice that she knew what I meant, we were both overwhelmed.”

Within minutes, Allison had hot-footed it over to the hospital reception to collect her nativity scene.

“I’d been praying every day since it went missing for its safe return,” she says. “I’d just gotten to the point where I thought I wasn’t getting it back, so I’d said a prayer for whoever did have it now, that it brought them as much joy as it brought me over the years. And then I got the call from Caryl and I was elated.

“Every single piece is here, in the original box, with no damage at all, just as I’d last seen them. I’m so grateful to the gentleman and his family who found and returned it. My prayers have been answered, it’s truly wonderful.”

Born and Bred (BaBi) launches in Hull and East Yorkshire

Families across Hull and the East Riding are being invited to help shape a healthier generation by taking part in a unique study.

Born and Bred in (BaBi) Hull and East Yorkshire is a research project being run by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and which launches on Tuesday 6^th February 2024.

The BaBi project is looking at maternal health as well as children’s health in their early years. It wants to connect up all the information that health, education, social care and other organisations hold about young children and families to try and identify patterns that could drive improvements in the lives of the next generation and beyond.

Sarah Collins (left) and Eloise Taylor from the BaBi Hull and East Yorkshire study team

Sarah Collins, Research Lead Midwife based at Hull Royal Infirmary explains:

“Like many other northern towns and cities, Hull is subject to some stark health inequalities. We’re keen to use the BaBi study to look at the factors which may impact children’s health and then use this data to make service improvements or to highlight societal changes which could give future generations the chance to grow up healthier and happier.

“The BaBi project began in Bradford in 2019, and the routine data collected has contributed to bus route diversions in areas where pollution and childhood asthma were both noted to be particularly high. It has also helped to increase green spaces across the city, as study data showed that those with access to grass and parks had better mental health overall.

“BaBi Hull and East Yorkshire genuinely has the potential to help us improve the lives of future generations and it’s exciting to think where this study could take us.”

From 6^th February, all pregnant women and birthing people booked for care with Hull Women & Children’s Hospital will be invited to take part in the study. People at any stage of pregnancy, up until the community midwife discharges them after birth, will be eligible to take part and you are welcome to ask any questions before you decide whether or not to give consent.

“We know life becomes a bit of a whirlwind for new and expectant families, so the great thing about this study is that it’s not time consuming for people to help out,” Sarah continues.

“There’s no need for us to ask questions, to weigh or measure the baby, or for parents to keep a diary; it’s as straight forward as giving us consent to access data for the purpose of our research. And if people later decide they don’t want to take part, that’s no problem either.

“We are hoping we’ll get a good uptake, as it’s a really easy way for local people to help make Hull and the East Riding a much healthier and happier place.”

The team is aiming to recruit 400 participants in the first year. Information leaflets about the BaBi Hull and East Yorkshire project will be provided by midwives in clinic or there is a short explanatory video online at https://www.hull.nhs.uk/maternity/babi/.

The study will be ongoing, with women and birthing people being asked to take part for each new pregnancy.

If you are interested in participating or wish to know more, please speak to your midwife or email the research midwives on hyp-tr.research.midwife@nhs.net

Hull’s Story Street walk-in service has moved to its new home at Hull Royal Infirmary and is now open to patients.

The move paves way for improved integration of urgent care services in the city.

City Health Care Partnership CIC will continue to provide the service at the new location, and the centre will continue to offer treatment for minor illness and injury in a newly refurbished clinical space.

Co-locating the walk-in centre at the hospital means that it will benefit from better access to diagnostic services, such as X-ray. Additional minor injuries and diagnostic pathways will be established later this year to create a fully designated Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC).

The new site is located close to the main hospital entrance and clear signage is in place to direct people to the centre. The service will be open from 8am-8pm, 7 days a week.

People who need urgent medical help should use NHS 111 by phone or online. Highly trained advisors will assess and direct people to the most appropriate local service, including walk-in centres and UTCs.

Dr James Crick, Clinical Place Director (East Riding of Yorkshire & Hull) at NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB, said: “Moving the walk-in service to Hull Royal Infirmary is a significant step forward for urgent care services in Hull. It ensures that patients will get the care they need sooner and relieve pressure on the hospital’s emergency department.

“Our ambition is for local services to be reflective of the needs of the communities we serve. Integrating services like this leads to improved health outcomes for our population, allowing everyone to receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”

Gemma Bradley, Head of Urgent Care Services at City Health Care Partnership CIC, said: “The relocation of the walk-in centre will improve access to urgent care across the city. Our new urgent treatment centre has been designed in collaboration with our healthcare partners to provide an enhanced, fit for purpose department that ensures patients are treated in the right place, at the right time.

“Thank you to all who have worked on the development, working together to improve how we provide these services for patients in a new collaborative way, in a combined space. I believe that our partnership with Hull University Teaching Hospitals will allow us to deliver a high quality, more integrated and patient-focused service.”

Jonathan Lofthouse, Group Chief Executive at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH), said: “We are delighted to have the co-located Urgent Treatment Centre at Hull Royal Infirmary. This marks a significant step towards providing integrated and accessible healthcare services to our communities. With this facility, our patients can now receive the care they need promptly, ensuring a more timely response to their medical needs and promoting better health outcomes.

“The new UTC also reinforces our commitment to providing accessible and efficient healthcare services for our community. Our heartfelt thank you to our valued partners CHCP for their collaboration and seeing the project through.”

Prior to the move, NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) carried out a six-week engagement with patients to understand any barriers that people may experience with the move. Just under 500 people gave their views online and at venues in the region, and the full engagement report has been published online.

The integration of the urgent care services in Hull has been made possible with £2.77m funding from the £250 million boost towards helping service recovery and managing demand this Winter which was announced last year.

It aims to ease pressures on our Emergency Department by reducing overcrowding, inappropriate attendances and patient waiting times.

Pregnant people will be able to access their maternity records and update their birthing preferences at the touch of a button when a new electronic system is introduced next month.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is set to launch BadgetNet on 6^th February 2024 for pregnant women and birthing people accessing maternity services at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.

The new system is a full electronic patient record where every clinical interaction with health professionals will be recorded throughout the full course of their maternity journey. It will launch with an online portal and app called ‘Badger Notes’ alongside, through which anyone who’s pregnant will be able to view their record and add or adjust their preferences, such as where they want to give birth and details of their birthing partner.

Badger Notes replaces the traditional hand-held paper file that people are given, and provides real-time access to their maternity care record over the internet through their PC, tablet or mobile phone. The app is updated with information drawn from hospital maternity records.

This allows more convenient and timely access to key information and also ensures the pregnant person’s choices on what they want to happen at each stage of the pregnancy journey are clearly captured, so all those caring for them can see it.

Liz Davis, Digital Midwife said: “In the past the hospital and the person who was expecting a baby each had separate paper records. If the pregnant person forgot their paper record, we would not be able to see or know what has been done in the community, likewise community may not see the hand-held notes the consultant has written. Now, with this new service, pregnant people and hospital staff both have a full record of their care, wherever they are, at whatever stage of their pregnancy journey.

“There’s a real shift now towards electronic record keeping and digital access. People already access many elements of their healthcare online; GP appointments, prescriptions, hospital letters and so on, so why not maternity care too?

“This is going to make a huge difference in the way we as professionals care for pregnant people, both during their pregnancy and in the post-natal phase. It will save a lot of time as midwives do not have to double enter data onto paper, and in this respect it will help to reduce our paper use and our environmental impact too.”

Rukeya Miah, Head of Midwifery said: “We are thrilled to bring Badger Notes to people using maternity services. This innovative system will deliver a more joined up approach across maternity care, and reflects our commitment to providing expectant families with the highest standards of support and empowerment.

“The system will contribute massively to improved patient information and experience, and ultimately contribute to positive maternal outcomes by increasing choice, personalisation and empowering patients participate in their maternity journey.”

Because the system is personalised, patients can also add details about themselves, such as occupation and any allergies and add their own plans and preferences for care, before and after birth.

The system is completely secure and only those with the correct login details are able to access notes.

Midwives will provide people with details of how to create an account and access Badger Notes at ante-natal appointments, though the app can be downloaded anytime from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Wyke 6th Form College students have welcomed a new project offering volunteering opportunities in healthcare facilities across Hull and East Riding.

The ‘Young Health Champions Together’ project, created by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in partnership with City Health Care Partnership (CHCP) will offer students the opportunity to gain valuable insight into different areas and specialisms on offer in the health sector.

Angelina who has booked to volunteer as part of the project said: “I decided to join the programme because I knew I was interested in medicine but was uncertain about what path I wanted to take. So, I thought volunteering in an actual ward would help.”

Ala said: “I found out about the NHS volunteering programme through a talk given by one of the organisers. I was excited to hear about it and I look forward to starting my volunteering experience which starts soon.”

Another student who wants to volunteer on the cardiothoracic ward to explore the various roles available in the NHS said: “I hope to develop skills like confidence, effective communication and responsibility, all of which are valuable for my future career in the NHS.”

Sixty students from Wyke 6th Form College will be the first to take part in this unique project and are expected to commit six months to the programme and undertake four hours of volunteer work each week.

Students are not limited to volunteering in the hospital setting alone, however. With CHCP’s involvement in the project, students will have the option to volunteer in community-based healthcare facilities such as community hospitals and care facilities too.

Rachael Hardcastle-Pearce, Lead Voluntary Services Manager for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:

“This collaboration represents an exciting milestone in our ongoing efforts to provide meaningful opportunities for young people. The students are going to take away amazing life skills, it’ll help with their confidence and open their eyes to the world of health: since a lot of them already aspire to work in health, we’re hoping this will just cement that desire.

“The good thing is they can do this in their own time, without losing out on schoolwork. Another thing for us at Hull Hospitals, which is amazing, is that a lot of our Young Health Champion volunteers go on to our apprenticeships, so this really could be the first stepping stone to a career in health.”

The Young Health Champion Volunteer programme for 16-25-year-olds has been operating successfully within Hull Hospitals for a decade now, delivering a proven model that has yielded powerful outcomes.

Many volunteers have either gone on to university or to pursue careers in healthcare across the Yorkshire region.

The Youth Health Champions Together project builds on this success, seeking to enrich the volunteer experience while equipping young people for future healthcare roles.

Gemma Hayes-Logan, Head of Careers and Skills at Wyke 6th Form College said: “The NHS Volunteers programme creates opportunities for students to make a meaningful impact whilst shaping the future of healthcare together.

“Being a Health Champion can open doors to a bright future in the NHS. It could be that essential addition to the student’s UCAS statement and job application that sets them apart from the crowd.”

By creating opportunities for college students to volunteer within hospital settings and in the community, both HUTH and CHCP hope to bridge the gap between education and real-world experience while simultaneously growing the city’s own future workforce.

Emma Johnson, Volunteer & Work Placement Lead, CHCP said:

“I am thrilled to be part of this exciting new partnership with Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and City Health Care Partnership CIC. For young people volunteering is often the first step towards an exciting and varied career in health care. This programme aims to enhance the volunteer offer and provide collaborative working within health care in Hull and East Riding offering an experience in both a hospital and community setting.

“This fantastic opportunity provides a valuable experience of volunteering in a health care environment, the Young Health Champions Together Programme enables participants to develop skills and build confidence to better prepare them on their chosen future career in health.”

Hospital staff are celebrating after more than 800 people have successfully completed an apprenticeship which has helped them into their chosen career over the last seven years.

With hundreds of different schemes running from school entry level to Master’s degree, there are lots of exciting opportunities on hand for local people trying to get onto the job ladder, as well as those staff already working for the NHS who want to develop their careers.

In fact, there are now even more opportunities available after Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLaG) and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH) moved to a ‘group’ management model making it the 12^th largest trust in England.

As part of * National Apprenticeship Week which runs from 5 to 11 February, we want to showcase how we are growing our own workforce for the future of our hospitals – Hull Royal Infirmary, Castle Hill Hospital, Grimsby Diana Princess of Wales Hospital, Scunthorpe General Hospital, Goole and District Hospital, as well as our community services in North Lincolnshire.

As well as the people who have already completed their courses, we also have more than 450 people currently on a programme!

Did you know we offer clinical and non-clinical apprenticeships with people learning through a mix of on-the-job training and studying towards formal qualifications?

Lucy Vere, one of the Group’s leads for education and development, said: “Apprenticeships are a great way of bringing new people into the NHS and also a way of developing our existing workforce. It is important to remember that although apprenticeships are a great way for school leavers to start their careers, we have opportunities available across our sites for both new and existing colleagues; in nursing, pharmacy, finance, healthcare sciences, occupational therapy and within our estates teams to name a few.

“Many of those starting out as apprentices are still with us, having gained qualifications, secured permanent roles or promotions, and in many cases, they are now carving out careers for themselves within their chosen department or clinical speciality.”

Rachael Simpson

We are always looking at extending the number of schemes we offer, and in a first for the area NLaG is now offering not only T levels in healthcare, but also business and engineering. These are two-year courses for 16 to 19-year-olds which are aimed at supporting young people to develop their skills, knowledge and to thrive in the workplace. Hull, instead of offering T Levels is one of the biggest providers of work experience placements for schools on the north bank and clinical apprenticeships for school leavers.

As part of the national awareness week, HUTH is offering more than 60 vacancies across all nursing apprenticeship levels including the Registered Nurse Degree, Trainee Nurse Associates, Apprentice Healthcare Support Workers and Apprentice Healthcare Assistants. An open evening is being held on Wednesday 7 February between 4.30pm and 6.30pm, in the Wellbeing Centre, Entrance 2, Castle Hill Hospital where people can find out about these opportunities, as well as vacancies in our customer service and admin teams. It is also open to existing staff to talk through development opportunities.

Katherine Bonsanquet

The group is also proud to be working collaboratively on a joint Senior Leader Apprenticeship opportunity which officially launches during the awareness week. This innovative, online Level 7 (equivalent to Master’s level) will support existing, senior colleagues to develop their skills and knowledge. It goes to show apprenticeships truly are for all!

Here we hear from one of our apprenticeships who is working at Castle Hill Hospital. Rachael Simpson, who, after completing the healthcare assistant apprentices (HCA) is now on the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship (RNDA) programme. She said: “I started volunteering when I was 16. While doing this I met someone who was doing the HCA apprenticeship and I realised I would really enjoy that role. I now work on Ward 9. I love working with the team, but my favourite part of the job is the contact I have with patients. It is being able to help them and helping to make them feel comfortable on our ward. Looking to the future, my aim is to become a registered nurse by 2026.”

Katherine Bosanquet, who works at NLaG has been with the Trust for 22 years starting out in admin. Over the years she has completed various apprenticeships in administration and more recently management. Katherine, who is now the Training and Apprenticeship Manager, said: “Apprenticeships have helped me develop my confidence within the working environment through hands-on learning, expanding my knowledge and skills within my chosen field. Completing an apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to build relationships with staff within other areas, at all levels.”

For more information on National Apprenticeship Week, visit https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/influencers/national-apprenticeship-week#

A health screening service which had to leave Driffield in 2021 has found a new home in the town.

The mobile breast screening unit, operated by the Humberside Breast Screening Service (HBSS), will be situated at Driffield Showground for the next three months as patients from Driffield and surrounding areas take up their screening invitations.

Karen Hallberg, Superintendent Radiographer with the HBSS explains:

“Until 2021, the mobile screening unit was based within the local supermarket car park, but changes to the layout meant that it was no longer able to accommodate our breast screening unit which needs a large amount of space to operate and manoeuvre.

“We were unable to find an alternative site at the time with all the space and facilities we needed, such as power, toilets and parking, and as a result, we had to invite people to attend Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham for their breast screening appointments.

“This naturally led to concerns that this would become a permanent arrangement, and that the unit would not return to the town. However, we’re really pleased to say that, following some really constructive discussions with David Tite and his team, Driffield Showground will now be used to site our mobile screening unit whenever it comes to town.”

The mobile breast screening unit visits Driffield once every three years. Earlier this month, it began its latest rotation to the town and the team expects to screen around 4,500 people before moving on again at the end of April.

Karen adds:

“We know people are more likely to take up screening invitations when they are convenient and close to home, so the fact we’ve been able to base ourselves within Driffield once again is good news for everyone. We’re incredibly grateful to David and all the team at Driffield Showground for their support.”

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is delighted to welcome Prof Adele Fielding to Queen’s Centre for Oncology and Haematology at Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham.

Prof Fielding, renowned professor of haematology will be seeing patients at the Queen’s Centre as part of her role as Clinical Director of the University of York’s newly opened Centre for Blood Research.

Although her main work will be at the Centre and the Hull York Medical School (HYMS) where she serves as Head of Experimental Biomedicine, Prof Fielding will be seeing cancer patients at the Queen’s Centre once a week.

With a remarkable career spanning over three decades, Prof Fielding brings a wealth of expertise in blood cancer research to the Queen’s Centre where she will be carrying out clinical trials. The Queen’s Centre is a state-of-the-art facility primarily dedicated to serving cancer patients across the Yorkshire region. It also houses essential services such as immunology and allergy, haemophilia and lymphoedema.

Prior to her move to Hull, she held a prominent role at the University College London Cancer Institute, specialising in the research and treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).

Commenting on the move, Prof Fielding said:

”I had a choice about where to do my clinical work and I selected Hull because I think it is important that people realise there are really good haematology departments that aren’t just based in London or Oxford or Cambridge. I know that the department at the Queen’s Centre is staffed with excellent people who are absolutely brilliant.

“They have succeeded in recruiting a lot of patients into national trials and are a really cooperative unit, nationally. They experience different clinical and service issues to some of those I’ve faced in my previous clinical career and I thought it would be important for me to see some of those issues for myself and see if I can help.

“I am not going to help by seeing a million patients, but I might be able to help by working with my colleagues to get them the recognition that they deserve on the national stage and also let people know that Hull is a great place to work.”

Prof Fielding’s work on ALL is vast. Her research has looked into improving the lives of people living with the rare disease which affects both children and adults. She has led several clinical trials into ALL, which include studying the underlying mechanisms and searching for new treatments.

The Queen’s Centre is confident that Prof Fielding’s wealth of experience and expertise will contribute significantly its cancer work.

James Bailey, Medical Director, Clinical Support Health Group said: “The Queen’s Centre haematology team are delighted to have Prof Fielding working with us. Her incredible experience in cutting-edge leukaemia research and practical clinical management is already bringing real benefit to our patients being treated at the Queen’s Centre.

“We anticipate seeing a growth in our clinical activity enabling us to offer exciting new opportunities for patients receiving treatment across our region whilst helping to further develop Queen’s Centre as an exciting place for staff to come and work.”

Professor Matthew Morgan, Dean of Hull York Medical School said: “Research is a fundamental part of medicine, ensuring that approaches to diagnosis, treatment and care focus on those things which really matter to patients. We are delighted that Adele is joining our community of clinical academic researchers at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and know that, together with her colleagues, she will make a real and lasting difference to the lives of cancer patients in our region.”

The first striking image of how Hull’s new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at Albion Square could appear has been revealed.

The £18m facility will provide a wide range of city centre healthcare and an initial CGI of the how the centre could look shows a two-storey building with an entrance on the corner of Albion Street and Bond Street.

The CDC will feature a range of services including MRI, X-ray, CT scanning and ultrasounds and is expected to provide more than 100 jobs.

This comes with the aim of identifying health problems early and improving outcomes for patients with conditions including cancer, stroke, heart disease and respiratory conditions, as well as reducing waiting times and pressures on acute hospital sites.

Cllr Linda Chambers, portfolio holder public health at Hull City Council, said: “The CDC is a fabulous project at Albion Square and it’s exciting that we’re able to see an image of what it may look like.

“Albion Square is a significant development in the city and seeing this visual really starts bring it to life.”

Plans for the CDC were submitted in late 2023 after Hull City Council’s Cabinet approved for the development to go ahead.

The NHS secured £16m in funding from the Department of Health and Social Care to develop a CDC in Hull, £12m of which will go towards construction of the facility, with the remaining amount allocated for clinical equipment.

The council will contribute £2m of funding from the existing Albion Square capital budget to support building costs.

Alongside other Community Diagnostic Schemes across Humber and North Yorkshire, this represents £80 million of capital investment in the region, meaning there will be a capacity for almost one million additional diagnostic procedures annually.

The CDC will be accessible for all patients, with bus services directly serving the location and Paragon Interchange only a short walk away.

Jonathan Lofthouse, Group Chief Executive for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Thousands of tests are performed locally across the NHS each week, helping to identify disease, diagnose problems or confirm diagnoses and then shape patients’ future treatment and ongoing care.

“The development of a new Community Diagnostic Centre will be a significant step forward for Hull and the surrounding area, as not only will it speed up access to NHS care, but it will also create over 100 NHS jobs for local people once it’s fully operational.

“Waiting for tests can be the cause of real anxiety for some people, so the CDC will enable our staff to carry out those tests more quickly and enable patients to undergo multiple tests at the same visit if required, in some cases seven days a week.

“With access to all the latest technology such as MRI scanners, CT scanners, ultrasound and ECG, this venture will help to reduce the number of appointments which patients are asked to attend and enable them to undergo their tests in more suitable, purpose-built accommodation outside of a main hospital setting.”

The facility’s central location is also expected to provide practical and economical benefits by encouraging additional city centre footfall, therefore supporting local businesses and the wider economy.

Preparatory work has already begun on the development, with Albion Street car park undergoing reconstruction.

Parking is still available for patients accessing the Wilberforce Centre, whilst the newly-improved Pryme Street car park is just a six-minute walk away.