Hospital looks to free up space for clinical care

Pathology services could be on the move

Derriford Hospital is proposing to move its pathology services to Estover to free up space for clinical care.

At the moment, the services, which focus of the study of disease, are spread across four floors of the main hospitals, taking up more than 3,000 square metres of space.

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust says the current location presents logistical challenges and offers no room for expansion, making refurbishment unfeasible because of the high cost and lack of additional space.

It is seeking pre-planning advice from Plymouth City Council as it wants to repurpose the former Lighthouse Laboratory warehouse building, once used for steel fabrication by Underhill Engineering at Plymbridge Road, into a new home for pathology.

The building is close to other recently approved healthcare-related developments.

The warehouse was transformed into emergency testing facility during the covid pandemic in just 11 weeks to meet the Department of Health’s fast-track programme.

It cost £20 million, employed 400 people and was able to process up to 40,000 samples every day.

Latterly it has become a storage and distribution area for the NHS trust, but is underutilised.

Relocating the pathology service will allow other healthcare projects to progress at Derriford, with vacated space being transformed into much-needed additional clinical space, said the trust.

In planning documents, it says it will be able to deliver significant improvements to healthcare by providing modern facilities that will enhance the level of care and facilities already offered to the community and further afield from Derriford.

It is proposing minor external changes to the building.

There is large amount of car parking on the site and links to the park and ride service at The George.