Money-saving hospital plant opens

The new energy plant will save £500,000 a year

A new heat and power plant which could save £500,000 a year has opened at a Newcastle hospital.

The new energy centre at the Royal Victoria Infirmary was officially opened by the Public Health Minister Melanie Johnson.

The £7m centre is the first to be operated in a partnership between the NHS and a private company.

It will generate enough power for the whole of the RVI, with any surplus energy being used by Newcastle General Hospital.

The £500,000 savings will be reinvested into patient care.

The minister will also visit the Freeman Hospital on Thursday afternoon, to open a high technology unit with 12 beds for critically ill patients.

The new £4m unit replaces beds which were situated on different wards in the hospital.