Disruption expected as work starts at hospital

By the Editorial Team · Friday, August 28, 2026

Construction has begun on upgrades to the urgent and emergency care facilities at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, including a new corridor linking the Urgent Treatment Centre and A&E, as well as additional assessment rooms and an ambulance entrance. This £7 million project aims to improve patient flow and emergency care capacity while maintaining service availability during the works, which are expected to finish by late 2026.

Work has commenced on upgrading urgent and emergency care facilities at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle, hospital officials confirmed on Wednesday. The project aims to enhance patient flow and capacity by constructing a permanent link corridor between the recently opened Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) and the existing accident and emergency (A&E) department.

In addition to the corridor, the redevelopment includes building a new ambulance entrance and adding four new assessment rooms. Construction is expected to continue through late December 2026. Despite the works, patients will still be able to access urgent and emergency services through the UTC entrance, where staff will direct them to the appropriate area. Both units will remain operational throughout the construction period.

The Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages the RVI, acknowledged that the building works could cause some disruption and potentially longer waiting times. However, trust representatives emphasized that efforts are underway to maintain safe, effective, and timely care during the transition.

This initiative forms part of a broader, phased programme to improve same-day emergency care (SDEC) at the RVI. Earlier this year, the trust opened a new Urgent Treatment Centre, with the development of a triage and assessment area scheduled for completion before the end of 2023. Plans are also in place for a refurbishment of the emergency department in 2024, which will include increased numbers of private cubicles.

Funding for the expansion was supported by a £7 million investment announced by former Health Secretary Wes Streeting earlier this year, aimed at enhancing the trust’s SDEC services.

Patients are reminded alternative urgent treatment centres offering care seven days a week are available at Ponteland Road in Cowgate and Molineux Street in Byker. For health advice or guidance on which NHS services to access, the trust encourages individuals to visit 111.nhs.uk. Additionally, certain treatments, including emergency contraception and urinary tract infection management, can now be obtained through community pharmacies.

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