20 August 2025

York Hospital has unveiled its newly refurbished Women’s Unit, transforming the space for female patients in the region.

Following an eight-month makeover, the unit has now officially opened and offers improved privacy and dignity for patients and their relatives.

The unit is designed to support women through some of the most emotionally challenging health experiences of their lives, as it is home to York’s Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU). It treats women with acute gynaecological problems and provides high quality care for women by skilled multi-disciplinary clinical teams providing complex treatments and surgical procedures.

There is now an extra room for EPAU appointments, and two rooms for Gynaecology Assessment Unit patients. As a result, there is increased capacity for acute assessment. The refurbished unit also offers hysteroscopy and colposcopy services.

The new-look unit is a welcome and comfortable modern upgrade for patients and staff. Located at Junction 5 on the ground floor, it was last updated in 1984.

With both the gynaecology and EPAU being relocated into one space, it now provides a light, welcoming environment with dedicated private changing rooms, counselling rooms and a new recovery bay, all crafted to prioritise privacy, dignity and emotional wellbeing.

The redesign addresses longstanding challenges in the unit’s layout. Where staff previously made phone calls in shared corridors, the new plan brings the team together in a single, functional office, greatly improving staff efficiency and the patient experience.

Sarah York, Lead Nurse for Hysteroscopy and Colposcopy, described the transformation. She said: “It’s significantly better for colleagues and patients. The space now flows properly.”

The renovation has placed accessibility at its core, so women with disabilities can access and change in the unit comfortably. The improved flow allows all patients to navigate the space with ease, reducing stress and creating a calm and supportive environment for women receiving sensitive care.

Gemma Ellison, Associate Chief Operating Officer for Family Health, said the refurbishment marks a significant step forward in York Hospital’s commitment to providing sensitive, high-quality care for women and to ensuring that every woman who walks through its doors feels respected, safe and supported.

She explained: “The unit offers women the privacy and dignity they truly deserve as well providing the working environment our teams need, which makes their working lives better.”