A SPECIAL set of keys have been handed over to unlock an historic new phase of North Staffordshire health care.

Contractors John Laing presented them to NHS officials to allow final preparations for the new £35 million Haywood Hospital, which opens for its first patients in September.

It is the third hospital in the Potteries to be completed in almost as many months following the cancer centre and maternity unit at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.

Around 150 staff are now being primed for transfer to the spectacular complex off High Lane – most of them moving from the 1930s Haywood premises on the same site and 50 from Bucknall Hospital.

Builders have been crafting the three-storey structure for the past two years and yesterday's hand-over to Stoke-on-Trent Primary Care Trust was just 48 hours ahead of schedule – as demonstrated by a digital clock set in motion last year to count down the days. But planning for the redevelopment goes back more than a decade.

The switch is scheduled for the weekend starting September 17, with patients being shuttled the short distance to their new home by ambulance. A state-of-the-art walk-in centre for 40,000 patients a year will also kick in.

The unit will continue to be a specialist centre for rehabilitation, convalescing patients and rheumatism, but will have added services for stroke and terminally ill patients.

Receiving the giant ceremonial key, hospital manager Helen Duffy said: "Seeing what has been a building site transformed into this fantastic building has taken my breath away and we can now get on with getting it ready for patients.

"It's been a long time coming but I'm sure the local community will be similarly impressed when they start to use it.

"Staff who have toured the place say they can't believe how much bigger, brighter and more airy everywhere is.

"We have named the five wards after former local coal-mines to add another link to the area's proud heritage and the landscaped courtyards between them provide a wonderful finishing touch."

The key was presented by Laing's project director Ewan Robinson, who said: "The sloping land presented us with problems, but we feel we have used that to our advantage by affording fine views. There were also difficulties because of mineworking, but we are delighted to have delivered the project two days ahead of schedule."

For the company's design and construction manager, David Hulstone, the scheme has held a special place in his heart.

Born in Burslem, he said: "Me and my family have used local hospitals many times so it great giving something as good as this back. The new Haywood does the Burslem area credit and I'm sure people will be proud of it."

Once it is open, the old neighbouring building will be demolished and landscaped to provide 350 car parking spaces – three times the current number.