Major milestone reached for Scarborough Hospital’s new £25 million laboratory

04 November 2026

Construction of Scarborough Hospital’s new £25 million acute service laboratory has reached a major milestone, with a topping out ceremony held ahead of National Pathology Week, which this year celebrates the theme ‘Welcome to the Lab’.

The ceremony marks significant progress on the new three-storey, 2,600 square metre facility, which will provide a modern, purpose-built home for pathology services and a much-improved working environment for colleagues delivering vital diagnostic services to patients across Scarborough and surrounding communities.

The new facility is being delivered with Integrated Health Projects (IHP), the joint venture between VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine, continuing a successful partnership which most recently delivered Scarborough Hospital’s £47 million Urgent and Emergency Care Centre.

Designed by P+HS Architects, the building will include a fully equipped 24/7 acute laboratory service supporting clinical biochemistry, haematology, blood transfusion, point-of-care testing and molecular diagnostics. In the longer term, the development will also provide additional space for ophthalmology and outpatient services, supporting the continued development of services on the Scarborough Hospital site.

Chief Executive of York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Clare Smith, said: “This is another really positive step forward for Scarborough Hospital and an important investment in the future of the services we provide for our local communities.

“Pathology plays a vital role in patient care, helping our clinical teams make timely diagnoses and decisions about treatment, often behind the scenes. Our colleagues do an incredible job, and it’s important that they have the facilities and environment they need to deliver the best possible care.

“We’ve already seen the difference that investment in our Urgent and Emergency Care Centre has made, and it’s fantastic to see another major development taking shape. This new laboratory will be an important part of Scarborough Hospital’s future, and I’m really pleased that we’re making such good progress.”

Managing Director of York Teaching Hospital Facilities Management, Chris Norman, added: “Reaching the topping out stage is a really exciting moment and another visible sign of the significant investment being made in the future of Scarborough Hospital.

“This £25 million development is about much more than a new building. It will give our pathology colleagues the modern, purpose-built environment they need to continue delivering vital diagnostic services for our patients, while providing a facility designed to meet the needs of Scarborough and our surrounding communities for many years to come.

“We are also building on a really successful relationship with IHP following the delivery of our Urgent and Emergency Care Centre. The one-team approach we developed through that project made a real difference, and it is great to see that partnership continuing as we deliver another major development for Scarborough.

“There is still plenty of work ahead, but reaching this stage is an important achievement. I’d like to thank our pathology and estates colleagues, IHP, P+HS Architects and everyone across the project and supply chain who has helped us get here.”

Regional Director at VINCI Building, Chris Winspear, said: “Reaching the topping-out stage is a significant milestone in the delivery of Scarborough Hospital’s new acute service laboratory.

“Having successfully delivered the Urgent and Emergency Care Centre alongside the Trust, we are proud to be continuing the relationship and bringing the same collaborative, one-team approach to this latest development.

“This achievement reflects the commitment and hard work of the Trust, design team, our colleagues and supply chain partners. We look forward to building on this momentum and delivering a high-quality facility that will provide a modern working environment, supporting clinical teams and vital diagnostic services for patients across Scarborough and the surrounding communities.”

The development follows the identification of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) within the existing pathology department in 2023, which resulted in pathology colleagues being relocated to other areas of the hospital.

The new purpose-built facility represents a significant investment in the future of Scarborough Hospital, replacing ageing laboratory accommodation while providing modern infrastructure for essential diagnostic services.

Work will now continue on the building and its internal spaces ahead of the new acute service laboratory becoming operational towards the end of 2027.