WORK is continuing on a new multi-million pound facility at Colchester Hospital.

A new orthopaedic centre, which will be called the Dame Clare Marx Building, is currently under construction at Colchester Hospital, with the facility expected to cost in the region of £64 million.

New pictures have shown a huge crane, which weighs more than 16 tonnes, helping assemble the building which is due to open next year.

Read more >>> Lack of staff sees medical care at Colchester Hospital rated requires improvement

Dame Clare Marx, a trailblazing surgeon who served as the first female chair of the General Medical Council, dug the first spadeful of earth as part of a ceremonial ground breaking which took place last year.

Sadly, Dame Marx – who was an orthopaedic surgeon at Ipswich Hospital – died in November of pancreatic cancer.

Gazette: Taking shape – the work on the unit will continue through 2023 before the orthopaedic centre opens next yearTaking shape – the work on the unit will continue through 2023 before the orthopaedic centre opens next year (Image: Janus van Helfteren)

The latest update on the new building which honours her namesake, however, is that 73 of the eventual 289 pre-built modules have now been moved into position.

Once complete, the unit will serve patients across Essex and Suffolk who have planned operations on bones, joints and muscles, such as hip and knee replacements.

As a dedicated unit, it is hoped there will be fewer cancelled operations for patients.