A PIONEER of healthcare will be honoured when a new hospital opens next year.

The Sister Mary Jacques Ward will be situated at the Tees Valley Hospital, a multi-million pound facility currently under construction in Middlesbrough.

A recent competition saw the public submit suggestions for the naming of the hospital and ward, with joiner Pat Murray choosing the hospital’s new name.

Ann Stonehouse and Emma Chesworth’s entries recognised the significant contribution of Mary Jacques to Middlesbrough, where she opened England’s first cottage hospital in 1859.

The Tees Valley Hospital, based on the site of Acklam Hall, will replace the existing Tees Valley Treatment Centre.

Donna Thornton, General Manager at TVTC, said: “We chose Tees Valley Hospital because it conveys some of the success we have had and is a name the local community know.

“We also wanted to choose a name connected to the area with historical significance so decided to name the ward after a pioneering nurse who holds great importance in the history of nursing.”