Work on a state-of-the-art new A&E department at Airedale Hospital begins next week, and will see the temporary relocation of emergency services for up to a year.

The old endoscopy unit will be the home to the temporary A&E, and the hospital trust has urged patience while the work is undertaken.

Refurbishment has already taken place to transform the old endoscopy unit into the A&E facility.

The internal move will take place during Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning, with the old A&E department expected to close on Wednesday. Patients and ambulances attending the A&E department from this date will both use the existing ambulance entrance, which will be clearly signposted.

The new £6.3 million A&E department was approved last month.

Meg Crossley, consultant in emergency medicine at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust and clinical lead for the project, said: “Space is tighter in the temporary facility but we are working hard to ensure patients’ experiences in the relocated A&E department are still good ones.

“We appreciate this will be challenging at times, and we would ask the public for their patience and understanding.”

One of the first phases of work will create a new external entrance and access to the temporary A&E department by November. This will allow the old A&E department to be demolished during December and work to start on the new facility before the end of the year.

The A&E department will continue to function 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, throughout the building work.