The Medicine Manufacturing Centre will produce large volumes of chemotherapy treatment, as well as other ‘ready to administer’ injectable medicines. It will also manufacture ‘pre-labelled’ medicines to help support local hospital teams as patients are discharged home.
The facility, based at Seaton Delaval, is expected to create and train people for around 150 new jobs in roles such as operators, warehouse staff, clean room supervisors and other highly skilled professionals.
Over the next 12 months jobs will be advertised via NHS Jobs as part of the region’s NHS plans to start operating from the new Medicines Manufacturing Centre in spring 2026.
To begin the recruitment process a Managing Director has been appointed to lead on the development of the ‘aseptic’ facility.
The appointment comes following the approval of plans and funding by NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. Local construction company Merit are currently designing and ‘fitting out’ the new facility off-site.
The new Managing Director of the Medicine Manufacturing Centre will be Marc Sutton.
Marc has over 25 years of experience working in medicines manufacturing in the NHS. For the last six years, Marc has been the Head of Radiopharmacy in the South East Wales region where he helped lead the provision of radiopharmaceutical medicines to Nuclear Medicine sites.
On his appointment, Marc said: “I am very proud and honoured to have been appointed. I am looking forward to working with the team to deliver an excellent cutting-edge service for our patients.”
The new facility has also recently appointed Production Manager, Neil Simpson, who has worked within the NHS for 25 years at Newcastle Specials which is based at the RVI and Freeman hospitals.
Deputy Head of Quality, Carly McGurty, has also joined the team alongside Marc and Neil as recruitment is well underway. Carly has worked within the pharmaceutical industry for several years.
More information about the Medicine Manufacturing Centre can be found at: https://nenc-providers.nhs.uk/
