A new £19 million NHS surgical day case unit is set to open at St Luke's Hospital in Bradford later this year.

The development is part of a series of multi-million-pound projects being undertaken by Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (BTHFT) across its sites.

The day case unit is expected to increase the number of operations delivered in Bradford by more than 5,000 a year, and to reduce patient waiting times for surgery.

Work is also underway on a new £25 million endoscopy unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI).

The project is expected to be completed in late 2025 and will introduce an eight-roomed unit connected to the main hospital building.

The unit has been designed to meet the needs of patients, providing more capacity and an improved environment for care.

The Bradford Institute for Health Research (BIHR), based at BRI, will also benefit from a new entrance to help people navigate the building.

As part of its Outstanding Maternity Services programme, the trust is also improving its Women and Newborn building.

The work includes the relocation and refurbishment of the maternity assessment centre, the antenatal clinic and the antenatal day unit, as well as refurbishment of the public and staff toilets and relocation of the gynaecology clinic.

A reflection garden is also being created at BRI, thanks to a £44,840 grant from NHS Charities Together, secured by Bradford Hospitals Charity.

The green space will provide a quiet place for colleagues, patients and visitors to sit and reflect.

Chief operating officer at BTHFT, Saj Azeb, said: "We’re investing in our estate to make Bradford Teaching Hospitals fit for the future with new advancements in patient care and an overall better experience for our patients and colleagues.

"We’ve got some significant new developments under way that will change the way we deliver care, such as the surgical day case unit at St Luke’s Hospital, allowing us to treat more patients and reduce waiting lists.

"It’s an exciting time for BTHFT and great news for our local NHS."

The developments follow on from last year's work, which saw new, modern maternity theatres at BRI, investment into a new da Vinci robot dedicated to cancer surgery, new CT and MRI scanners, and a new £9 million Community Diagnostic Centre in Eccleshill for patients across the Bradford district.