JUNIOR health minister Hazel Blears donned work gear to lend a hand at the official construction launch of Farnham's new £21 million hospital.
Joining her on the site where the current Farnham Hospital is being replaced were MP Virginia Bottomley, Farnham Mayor Victor Duckett, Waverley Mayor Michael Goodridge and health service representatives including Mary Sennett and Maureen Murrell.
The hospital is due to open in July 2003, and will include 84 beds, four GP practices (replacing those at Farnham Health Centre), plus 24 hour emergency care facilities.
A social care services locality office, community health treatment, and day assessment for the elderly are also to be incorporated into the hospital.
It will be run by Surrey Hampshire Borders NHS Trust, which recently finalised the private finance initiative funding for the scheme.
The hospital will operate on a 25-year lease basis, whereby Norwich Union and the Mill Group will pay contractors MJ Gleeson to build it, and then lease it to Surrey Hampshire Borders.
Hazel Blears said: "I was absolutely delighted to be invited to take part in this event to officially mark work starting on this leading edge new facility.
"When this new centre is fully up and running in 18 months' time, it will provide another excellent example of the first rate local NHS and social care services, fit for the 21st century, that this government has made a commitment to provide."
Chairman of Surrey Hampshire Borders Trust Mary Sennett said: "The fact that we have come so far this quickly has been made possible as a result of the hard work, commitment and partnership working of our partners M.J Gleeson, Mill Group, along with our staff who have been assigned to the project."