5 March 2026
Largest NHS schemes of its kind prepares to welcome first patients at Bradford Royal Infirmary
A brand-new purpose-built endoscopy unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI) is preparing to welcome its first patients.
Delivered by main contractor Robertson Construction, the £25m state-of-the-art unit is one of the largest NHS schemes of its kind in the country. Built over the past 12 months it will provide more appointments for patients and reduce waiting lists.
Connected to the main hospital building, the unit houses eight procedure rooms and private pods for patients before and after their procedures, each with an en-suite.
Endoscopy is an important non-surgical procedure to look inside the body to screen, diagnose and treat medical conditions. In response to growing demand, the new unit will help ensure patients are seen more promptly, enabling quicker access to the next steps in their planned care.
Elliot Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, Robertson Group, said: “Drawing on our experience of working in live healthcare environments, we have designed and built this cutting-edge facility to the highest quality to uphold the Trust’s vision. It was important that, throughout the process, we also delivered targeted local benefits that added long-term value to the community beyond the new unit itself.
“Maximising patient and staff experience, privacy and operational efficiency was central to this project, and we will carry this forward as we continue to support the Trust in enhancing its estate.”
Consultant Gastroenterologist and Clinical Lead for Endoscopy, Sarah Jowett, said: “Our team is thrilled with the new unit and looking forward to welcoming our first patients in the next week or so. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in this project for making it a reality.
“The unit is linked to the main hospital for inpatients but also allows outpatients to access the unit from the outside. It has been designed to allow separation of these patient pathways should there be a need in the future, such as another pandemic.
“And to enhance patient privacy and dignity there are individualised ensuite rooms for before and after the procedures, and additional endoscopy rooms have been added to the design to increase our capacity and reduce waiting times.”
Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer at the Trust, Saj Azeb, said: “The new unit looks fantastic. It has been designed specifically to meet the needs of our patients providing us with more capacity and a much-improved environment to provide the best possible care and service to our patients.”
The two-storey facility follows a fabric-first approach and incorporates a range of sustainable features to reduce running costs and carbon emissions, aiming to achieve a BREEAM Very Good rating. These include energy-efficient LED lighting, a high-quality building management system and photovoltaic panels on the roof. Newly planted greenspace areas also support Biodiversity Net Gain and 99.79% of construction waste was diverted from landfill.
Bradford-born artist David Hockney inspired the interior colour palette, while the exterior is clad in aluminium panels and full-height glazing.
Throughout construction, Robertson ensured that the project delivered social and economic benefits. This saw over £13m in social value generated from over 70% of spend with the local supply chain, 27 apprentices hosted on-site and 44 local people employed on the project.
The project was procured under Lot1.1 of ProCure23, part of Crown Commercial Service's Construction Works and Associated Services Framework. ProCure23 supports the delivery of healthcare infrastructure across England and is NHS England's preferred route to market for the provision of design and construction services to NHS capital projects.
