A NEW £11 million private hospital in Northwich which will offer patients appointments within 24 hours has been hailed as a 'game changer'.

Work has begun this month on The Alexandra Clinic – Cheshire, off Hall Lane, near Lostock Gralam, after planning permission was granted in January earlier this year.

The dedicated outpatient facility, which is estimated will be able to see around 200 patients a day, specialises is day case procedures and treatments.

The Alexandra Clinic – Cheshire, will be overseen by the management team at The Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle, which is part of the Circle Health Group.

Andrew Thornton, the executive director of The Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle, is excited to open the doors for new patients at the Northwich hospital in January next year.

He said: "Our new hospital in Northwich promises to be a game changer for patients looking to access specialist medical services in a timely manner.

"We have spent a considerable amount of time planning and designing services specifically to meet the needs of patients in Northwich and further afield.

"We look forward to welcoming our first patients in January 2025."

Services at the facility, including specialist gynaecology, ophthalmology and imaging services, will be spread across two floors.

For those needing more invasive procedures or services not available in Northwich, referrals will be made in advance to The Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle.

A Circle Health Group spokesman added: "The new location will benefit from more than 40 years’ experience treating and supporting patients across the north west of England.

"Demand for women’s health services is at an all-time high with the average wait for an initial appointment now at a record 18 weeks in Cheshire alone.

"The Alexandra Clinic – Cheshire has been specially designed to remove unnecessary delays to appointments by triaging patients earlier.

"This unique system will ensure that patients looking to access Circle Health Group’s services in Cheshire will be able to get an appointment within 24 hours."

Once up and running, a mobile MRI scanner will also attend the hospital twice a week.

An 'essential' part of the diagnosis process, the mobile scanner will allow doctors and clinical staff to get a complete picture of a patient's condition, ensuring accurate diagnoses can be obtained in hours rather than weeks.