Preston family behind the Greater Lancashire Hospital to open a new private hospital in the city

The family behind the pre-existing Greater Lancashire Hospital in Ribbleton have revealed ambitious plans to invest £1.5m in a major new second site just next door.

Construction work on fitting out the new three-floor hospital, which will transform the previous Synetics building, will commence later this spring.

The people behind the hospital say the new new 10,000 sq ft hospital "will enable even more patients to benefit from the highest standards of care available nationally".

Who are the people behind the new hospital?

Greater Lancashire Hospital was founded in 2014 by Preston-based entrepreneurs Sara and Gwam Rajiah, a married couple who both have high-level clinical experience.

Gwam, the executive chairman of the hospital and Sara, the operations director, live in Goosnargh with their son, Myles, who joined the business in 2022 and is now director of investment and development.

What is the Greater Lancashire Hospital?

Greater Lancashire Hospital is an independently owned leading private hospital which works closely with some of the UK’s best-known consultants and medical practitioners to support regional NHS trusts and private healthcare patients.

The hospital is an approved supplier to the NHS which allows trusts to refer patients directly to its facilities for a wide range of NHS services ensuring that patients can be seen by medical professionals within a suitable timeframe.

Part of Preston-headquartered Bespoke Healthcare Group, it is the only hospital in Preston that has currently received an ‘outstanding’ rating for patient care by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

For more information about Greater Lancashire Hospital visit their website here.

What can you expect from the new hospital?

The state-of-the-art facility in Ribbleton’s Millennium City Park will welcome both NHS and private patients from across Lancashire and the North West from the autumn.

The premises will include purpose-built ultrasound, endoscopy and minor procedure suites, seven consulting rooms, physiotherapy and gymnasium areas, as well as "exceptionally comfortable" waiting and post-treatment rooms.

The new Greater Lancashire Hospital also comes with 30 free car parking spaces which will operate in unison with the original, neighbouring site.

What will the facility be like?

The plans for the new hospital have reportedly been devised to create a truly modern, welcoming and energy-efficient building.

A new entrance to the site on Longridge Road will be created with additional patient parking as well as EV charging points, cycle parking and an outdoor patent seating area within a landscaped setting.

Internally, there will be a main lobby and patient reception area providing access to all three floors and the ground floor will also be home to the minor procedure and endoscopy theatre, with a separate waiting area.

A 'clinical suite' reception, accessed via stairs and lift, along with seven consulting rooms, a physio treatment room, gym and ultrasound suite will then be on the first floor.

The second floor will accommodate the hospital’s offices as well as staff seminar, meeting and changing rooms.

Executive chairman of Greater Lancashire Hospital, Gwam Rajiah said: “We’ve been working closely with the architects to ensure that the facilities will be the best of their kind while simultaneously ensuring that energy efficiency and sustainability underpin the entire development.”

How many jobs will the new hospital create?

Mr Rajiah anticipates that the new hospital will create at least 50 new clinical roles and an additional 20 clerical roles.

What has been said about the new hospital?

Mr Rajiah said: “Securing a healthy future for the people of Preston and Lancashire has always been at the heart of our vision for Greater Lancashire Hospital.

“And this new hospital will enable us to assist more locally-based patients in the future.

“These new state-of-the-art facilities will mean that some of the country’s leading medical practitioners will be able to work with the best possible healthcare equipment currently available, which is a win-win for everyone.

“The new hospital is also a major milestone in the evolution and growth of Greater Lancashire Hospital as it will mean that we can continue working in partnership with even more NHS trusts and private patients from across the North West.”

Greater Lancashire Hospital’s investment and expansion have also been welcomed by leading Lancashire healthcare professionals routinely working from the existing facilities.

Dr Christopher Dobson, Consultant Dermatologist, said: “Greater Lancashire Hospital is already an outstanding resource that makes a difference daily when it comes to improving the health of people living across this county.

“The ambition that rests at the heart of this new £1.5m investment in Preston and Lancashire will ensure even more patients will be able to source the specialist treatment they require, precisely when they need it.”