A new £9.1million surgical hub has opened at Ipswich Hospital which aims to provide patients with "less pain" and "quicker recovery".

The surgery hub opened on Monday and will include a wide variety of procedures, including general surgery, ENT (ear, nose and throat) cases, oral surgery and urology.

Many of these cases will be carried out as laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery, which is a procedure to examine organs with minimal incisions.

The hub has three specialist theatres, a recovery area and a post-operative care unit.

aNick Hulme, left, and consultants anaesthetists Paul Mallett and Aaron Pennell welcome the new hub. (Image: ESNEFT)

It also includes a same-day admissions ward which ensures that as many procedures as possible can take place.

Director of elective care at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) Karen Lough said: “We are delighted that this important new development is now open and welcoming patients.

“Many of the procedures carried out at the hub will take place as keyhole surgery, which is minimally invasive and means surgeons do not need to make large incisions in the skin.

"This is great for patients, as it leads to less pain and scarring and a quicker recovery.

“This type of surgery is also good news for the NHS as patients do not need to stay in hospital for as long, in turn allowing us to see and treat more people on our waiting lists.”

Ipswich Mayor inugrated the hub last Tuesday.Ipswich Mayor Elango Elavalakan inaugurated the hub last Tuesday. (Image: ESNEFT)

Mayor of Ipswich Councillor Elango Elavalakan visited the centre last Tuesday for a special ceremony.

It is located above the new Urgent and Emergency Care Centre, which is currently being built at the south end of Ipswich Hospital and is set to open in September.

The theatres are linked to the main hospital building through a corridor on the first floor.