Work has started on a £400,000 refurbishment of Airedale Hospital’s pathology department.

The scheme, to produce extra space and deal with a soaring workload, is being carried out in several phases and should be complete by August.

The new layout will separate the laboratories from administrative areas and there will be a waiting area for visitors.

Room is being allowed for more equipment in the future as the department’s workload continues to rise – it has increased by about ten per cent in the past year.

Anne Crabtree, pathology operational manager at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are reconfiguring the department to allow us to make the best use of available space and cope with the increase in workload.”