Progress is continuing to construct a new medicines manufacturing hub, which has been designed to support patients across West Yorkshire and Harrogate. The hub has now been named as “Meadow House” following a vote by the staff involved in the project. The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility will operate as part of a ‘hub and spoke model’ across the six WYAAT organisations, supporting safer and more efficient care for patients across the region.

The demand for chemotherapy and specialist injectable medicines is growing significantly. In response to this, WYAAT is investing in a new manufacturing hub to provide additional capacity and provide access to RTA products in an in-house clinical environment.

Until now, some of these medicines – including antibiotics – have been prepared on hospital wards by nursing colleagues, taking up a considerable amount of nursing time. By centralising this work through the central hub, WYAAT will reduce pressure on busy ward teams, as well as moving to improve safety standards and consistency across the six trusts.

During 2025/26, the Programme supplied over 18,000 aseptically prepared products from the current facility at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to all six WYAAT organisations. This released more than 5,000 hours of nursing time back to direct patient care.

In January 2026, work began to transform an empty warehouse into a modern manufacturing hub. Once complete, the new facility will allow a greater volume of medicines to be produced, supporting services across WYAAT hospitals from 2027 onwards. The programme is also assessing how the hub can support other organisations in the wider healthcare sector from 2028 onwards.

The build is estimated to complete in February 2027 and is anticipated to be operational summer 2027.