IT IS the biggest venture at Ipswich Hospital since the 1970's – and now the people in the county are being called on to help name it.A competition has been launched to name the new £24million treatment centre planned for the Heath Road site.

IT IS the biggest venture at Ipswich Hospital since the 1970's – and now the people in the county are being called on to help name it.

A competition has been launched to name the new £24million treatment centre planned for the Heath Road site.

At the moment the name for the building is something of a mouthful with only a working title of The Planned Treatment and Critical Care Centre.

But clinicians and staff at the hospital want a new name found by the very people who the centre is being built to help.

The winner will get a £50 gift voucher and will also be invited to be part of the official opening of the new centre in 2006.

Tony Schur is chairman of the project board, which is overseeing the new development.

He said: "We want to find the right name for the centre, one that will be liked and valued by people we care for and the people who work in the NHS in East Suffolk.

"The idea behind the competition is to encourage everyone who lives and works in East Suffolk to put forward suggestions which they feel would be meaningful and right for the new centre."

Names can come from any source that people feel is appropriate to name the building.

Mr Schur said: "The name could be linked to local history, pioneers of health care and medical technology, ambassadors for public services, the Suffolk landscape and environment, art, music, literature – we have a completely open mind."

The team want to encourage as many people as possible to get involved with the new centre.

Mr Schur said: "What is most important for us is to involve our community in all aspects of the new centre.

"Patient representatives are part of all different project groups that have been set up to develop detailed specifications for each aspect of the centre."

Once the centre is built it will mean that more people will be able to be treated more quickly and will include a bigger critical care centre.

The current critical care centre is too small with not enough beds but this is due to change and there will also be a short stay surgery and day surgery centres with theatres, specialist clinics and a pre-admission centre to prepare people for their operations.

n.Anyone of any age can enter the competition. Suggestions along with name, address and contact details should be sent to: The Project Office, Planned Treatment and Critical Care Centre, Freepost IH681/2, Ipswich, IP4 5BR.

Suggestions can also be emailed to new.developments@ipswichhospital.nhs.uk.

The closing date for entries is December 1 when a panel of patients, clinicians and trust staff will draw up a shortlist of suggested names and everyone will be asked to vote for their preferred choice.