£7.5million investment in regional drugs manufacturing facility

The Health Minister has visited the site of a new £7.5million medicines manufacturing facility being built in the grounds of the Royal Group of Hospitals in Belfast.

Construction of Victoria Pharmaceuticals is scheduled to complete later this year. The facility will provide specialist medicines for a wide range of patients including intravenous feeding solutions for neonates, ophthalmic preparations, controlled analgesia and cancer chemotherapy. It will also prepare, among others, medicine packs for renal patients, for meningitis prophylaxis, for Accident and Emergency Departments and for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

Speaking on the site of Victoria Pharmaceuticals, Michael McGimpsey said: “This is the only facility of its kind in Northern Ireland and will provide the most up to date conditions in which to prepare critical medicines.

“At present the production of hospital pharmaceuticals takes place across two sites within the Belfast Trust. The construction of this £7.5million purpose built facility will improve efficiencies and contribute towards the highest quality patient care.

“The new facility will also produce and supply a range of pharmaceuticals to hospitals and primary care in Northern Ireland as well as the Republic of Ireland and the UK.”

Commenting on his ten-year programme of investment in capital projects the Minister said: “I will continue to invest funds where improved health and social care services are most needed.

“This project is an important part of the health component of the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland. It will bring at least £3billion of investment to modernise the infrastructure of health and social care services.

“At the heart of our modernisation programme is the recognition that we will deliver high quality safe services which continue to put patients first.”

Notes to Editors:

• The new facility is located on the Royal Hospitals site in Belfast.
• Over the ten year period 2008/09-2017/18 the Department has been allocated a total capital envelope of almost £3.3billion, against an identified need of £7.8billion. Just over £700million of this is earmarked for the Comprehensive Spending Review period with the balance of just over £2.5billion allocated in the remaining period of the Investment Strategy
• All capital expenditure is subject to the normal business case approval process.
• Media queries to DHSSPS Press Office on 02890 520579. Out of hours queries contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number on 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.