The Cheshire and Merseyside Surgical Centre will include two advanced operating theatres, one dedicated to cataract surgery and the other functioning as a multi-specialty theatre accommodating orthopaedics, ENT, dermatology, general surgery, and pain management. There will also be an ophthalmic treatment room, recovery area and consulting rooms. The development also includes refurbishment of the historic Verdin Ward.

Karen Simpson, service manager for the Cheshire & Merseyside Surgical Centre, said: ‘The surgical centre will have a major impact on the care we provide to our communities. It will become a cataract centre of excellence and a regional hub for outstanding cataract care. This will mean fewer people waiting for eye surgery, as well as improved patient care.'

Patients attending for cataract surgery will be treated by surgeons from both the Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. They will appear on a joint regional waiting list, which will be the first of its kind in Cheshire and Merseyside.

Simpson added: ‘This unique approach means equity of access for patients, alongside a high-quality and efficient experience. It also means a fast-track cataract service with referral to treatment in less than three weeks.'