Building a new, fit-for-purpose Eye Hospital in Sunderland has been part of our ambitions for a long time. We want to provide world class healthcare facilities. This is now possible thanks to joint working with Sunderland City Council.
A development agreement is in place with the Council in order to secure the £36m we need to deliver the new Eye Hospital. We will repay this in full and it has no impact on other Council resources.
This means we can get the best value for money and continue to invest in the regeneration of the City.
If we continue to run services from the current site, this will be much more expensive in the long-term. This would not be an efficient use of taxpayer’s money.
We are also working with the Council to discuss what will happen to the existing hospital site, once the new Eye Hospital opens.