The first sod on the site of a £143.5 million Critical Care Unit at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital has been officially cut by the NI Health Minister.

The Critical Care Unit will incorporate an Accident and Emergency Department, Theatres Unit; 40 Critical Care beds; and a 10-bed Burns Unit with Theatre and Day facilities.

This is the third major project in the RVH redevelopment programme, following the main Hospital Block and the Imaging Centre completed in 2006 and 2007.

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Minister Michael McGimpsey said: "The new facilities will benefit from the latest innovations in design and technology and provide regional emergency, trauma and burns services to some of the most severely injured people in Northern Ireland.

"Securing safe, high quality, state-of-the-art health facilities is a top priority for me and my department. Our staff deserve to be working in modern facilities so that they can deliver the best services for the public.

"This investment demonstrates how we are modernising our infrastructure so it is fit for the 21st Century," added Mr McGimpsey.

Work on the new Critical Care Unit is expected to be completed by May 2012.

(PR/JM)