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A new £12m elective care hub fitted with operating theatres and wards has opened.

The unit at Wharfedale Hospital, in Otley, aims to reduce surgical waiting times and increase the number of patients who can be treated each week.

It will provide operations such as general surgery, minor cancers, urology and benign gynaecology.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said the new hub created additional operating theatre capacity away from major hospital sites in Leeds.

The new unit includes two new theatres - which takes the total number at the hospital to four - a recovery area, an admissions and discharge area.

Other improvements include the day unit and phlebotomy services moving into refurbished areas and a dedicated hysteroscopy treatment suite.

It is estimated that an additional 3,500 people per year will be seen and patients will benefit from faster treatment times.

Professor Phil Wood, chief executive at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “I know patients are going to find it a great place to come, not just because of the facilities, but also because of how they’ll be looked after.

"The hub increases protected space and theatres to see planned-in patients, enhancing their experience and meaning we can see more patients more quickly."

The unit also provides extra capacity for teams from Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust in North Yorkshire.

The trust's chief operating officer and senior responsible officer for elective recovery Russell Nightingale said: "The new facilities will provide extra capacity for treating long wait patients and reduce overall waiting times for patients at both trusts.

"It will enable us to further improve on the quality of care we provide and to continue to deliver a first-class service for our patients.”

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