James Cook University Hospital


The James Cook University Hospital is a 1,024 bed major tertiary referral hospital, district general hospital and major trauma centre in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England, located on the A172. It forms part of the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, along with the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton. It caters for most specialties.

History

The hospital was built on the parkland of the former St Luke's Hospital, Middlesbrough. Opened in 1980 as a tertiary care centre called South Cleveland Hospital, it later became an extensive hospital with A&E. The hospital changed its name to the James Cook University Hospital in 2001.
New facilities were procured under a Private Finance Initiative contract to replace Middlesbrough General Hospital, North Riding Infirmary and the neuro-rehabilitation unit at West Lane Hospital in 1999. These new facilities were designed by HLM Architects, built on the site by Mowlem at a cost of £96 million and opened in August 2003.
In May 2012, a £35 million radiotherapy centre opened at the hospital, unveiled by Princess Alexandra.
In November 2012, a new 3T MRI scanner was opened, in the Neurosciences department. This is a partnership between the hospital and Durham University and in addition to clinical work will undertake research into various aspects of cognition.
In May 2013, the hospital became a major trauma centre for Teesside, County Durham, North Yorkshire and surrounding areas, participating in the wider Northern trauma Network.
In March 2015, a new purpose-built IVF unit was opened, it now brings all the reproductive medicine services together in one place.

Facilities

James Cook University Hospital specialises in the treatment of cancer, heart conditions and neurosurgery as well as housing the regional neonatal intensive care and spinal injury units. More recent developments include the introduction of advanced cardiac mapping technologies for complex radio frequency ablation, and the development of a highly successful Transcatheter Aortic Valve Intervention programme for patients deemed unfit for conventional cardiac surgery.
The hospital is used to teach clinical medical students from Newcastle University Medical School as well as pre-clinical students based at Durham University's Queen's Campus Stockton enrolled on collaborative course between Newcastle University Medical School and Durham University. The hospital also has strong teaching and research links with the School of Health at Teesside University.
The hospital has a daylight hours landing pad for use by the Great North and Yorkshire air ambulances.