Future hospitals take shape as groundwork begins on new £12.8m Urgent Treatment Centre at Leicester Royal Infirmary

Our future hospitals are quickly becoming a reality, with groundwork now officially underway on the new £12.8 million Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) at Leicester Royal Infirmary. The site has been set up, hoardings are in place, and excavation has begun to prepare the foundation area for the new facility – a visible and exciting step forward for the project. 

This marks a significant milestone in improving urgent care services for patients across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland.

The new UTC was announced in December 2025 and is expected to open in 2027. It will replace the existing Minor Injuries and Minor Illnesses (MIaMI) unit and will provide a modern, purpose-built environment designed around the needs of patients requiring same-day treatment for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions.

Richard Mitchell, Chief Executive, said: “The start of groundwork on our new Urgent Treatment Centre is a really important and exciting moment for our Trust and for local communities. Seeing activity on site brings this investment to life and demonstrates our commitment to improving urgent care. This new facility will support our colleagues and significantly improve the experience for patients when they need us most.”

As work gets underway, patients, visitors, and colleagues will begin to see changes across the Leicester Royal Infirmary site. 

The new Urgent Treatment Centre forms part of our future hospitals programme, which is focused on modernising hospital facilities and ensuring services are fit for the future. 

It will complement the £39m of funding secured in December last year from the national New Hospital Programme. This will fund essential enabling works to start this year, including the relocation of services such as the hearing and balance service from the Knighton Street campus to the East Midlands Planned Care Centre in early 2027. These works will support plans for a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital, with building expected to start in 2032. It is expected to bring maternity, neonatal, gynaecology and children’s services together into a single, state‑of‑the‑art building.  

Natalie Forrest, Chief Programme Officer of the New Hospital Programme said; “It’s great to see work starting on site at Leicester Royal Infirmary, marking real progress for local patients and communities. This new Urgent Treatment Centre will provide a modern, purpose-built space that supports faster, more effective care closer to home. We’re proud to be working with local partners to deliver facilities that meet the needs of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland now and into the future.”

Dr Saad Jawaid, Consultant in Emergency and Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine at UHL, said: “The new Urgent Treatment Centre will give us a purpose-built space that reflects how urgent care is delivered today. It will help us improve patient flow, provide care in a more appropriate environment and deliver a better overall experience for patients.”

The UTC builds on a period of significant investment across our hospitals over the past 12 months, including the East Midlands Planned Care Centre and Endoscopy Unit at Leicester General Hospital, the Preston Lodge rehabilitation unit in North Evington, and the Hinckley Community Diagnostic Centre. These developments are helping to deliver world‑class services closer to where patients live, supporting improved access to care, and contributing to the Government’s 10‑year plan for the NHS.

Construction work is being delivered by Henry Brothers, one of the UK’s leading construction companies, with further updates to be shared as the project progresses.

Ian Taylor, managing director of Henry Brothers Construction, said: "Breaking ground on this new Urgent Treatment Centre marks a significant milestone. We're proud to be working at the forefront of the health construction sector, helping to bring a vital and inspiring community resource to fruition. Once complete, these facilities will make a real difference to how local people access urgent care close to home."