Julie welcomed the Countess of Wessex to the constituency to officially open the new cutting edge mental health facility that has been built where Ryhope General Hospital once stood.  

The new £50m hospital will care for people living with mental health problems in the North East.  The facility has over 100 beds, a 14-bed psychiatric intensive care unit and a range of other services including a café, mental health act tribunal offices, a faith centre, a physical treatment suite, pharmacy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and exercise therapy.

Julie said:

“The hospital, here in Ryhope Village, will provide an invaluable service to people right across the region.  I am incredibly proud to have such a first rate facility, on our doorstep, in Sunderland Central constituency.”