Building developments at Derriford Hospital and beyond
It’s an exciting time at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, with a number of large building projects starting work and others nearing completion. With so much going on, it can be hard to keep track of what exactly is happening and where, so here’s a helpful update:
Emergency Care Building
Following the government’s confirmation of funding as part of the New Hospital Programme, construction of the new Emergency Care Building at Derriford Hospital will begin imminently. The new four storey building will replace the Trust’s current Emergency Department, expanding the capacity by nearly twice that of the current facility. Floors above will house Same Day Emergency Care, new theatres for emergency and planned surgery, and interventional radiology theatres, which allow diagnosis and treatment to be carried out whilst guided by modern imaging techniques.
Enabling works for the construction of this building started in September 2024, with the demolition of the old Plym Theatres. The principal construction partner has now moved onto the site, and the building will begin to rise up from the ground shortly. The anticipated completion date is Winter 2028.
The Paediatric (Children’s) Emergency Department has temporarily relocated as part of the construction and will hopefully move into its separate new home upon completion in Summer 2029.
Dartmoor Building
Located on the Northwest quadrant of the Derriford Hospital site, the new Dartmoor Building is nearing completion. It will shortly house a new Urgent Treatment Centre, which will open 8am to 8pm seven days per week, treating conditions that are not life-threatening but still require urgent treatment.
The building will also become a new home to the Fracture Clinic, Main Outpatients Department and Pre-Operative Assessments.
We will be phasing the opening of the Dartmoor Building over August and September 2025.
Plymouth Oncology Centre Expansion
The Plymouth Oncology Centre at Derriford Hospital is undergoing an extension that involves building a new decant bunker to house a £1.9 million replacement linear accelerator (LINAC), and the creation of a dedicated High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy Facility.
LINAC bunkers, more commonly known as radiotherapy bunkers, contain equipment that are used primarily to treat cancer. The new decant bunker currently under construction will not only house the new LINAC, but it will also allow for the future replacement of our existing ones, without any impact to radiotherapy services.
The new dedicated Brachytherapy Suite will include a treatment room, theatre area, waiting areas and recovery spaces. Being a complete theatre suite, it will also allow other procedures to be carried out in the area.
The extension to the Oncology Centre will hopefully open its doors in January 2026. Find out more on our website.
Plymouth Community Diagnostic Centre
Construction recently began on the new Plymouth Community Diagnostic Centre, located at Colin Campbell Court in the city centre. This three storey building will provide high quality diagnostic tests for patients, including CT, MRI, Ultrasound and X-Ray as well as ECHO, ECG, EEG and more.
Being able to offer appointments for these types of tests in a central location, being close to where a lot of people live, will hopefully help to make it easier for them to attend and therefore receive the healthcare they require.
The three-storey building is currently set for completion in 2026.
Keep up-to-date with all the breaking news and latest developments, including updates around disruptions on the site, on our Future Hospital website.
