A £2.2m project to expand the emergency department at the James Paget University Hospital will get under way this week - as demand for treatment increases year-on-year, especially in the winter.
The development will see part of the hospital’s front façade extended towards the main car park and re-built, providing more space to assess patients and for those waiting to be seen.
The new building will include:
• an expansion in the number of cubicles - from 11 to 14 – for the assessment and treatment of patients attending with more serious conditions,
• a larger waiting room, giving patients a more comfortable environment with space for social distancing,
• more space for patient ‘triage’,
• a separate children’s waiting room,
• an ambulance ‘cohort’ area to support ambulance turnarounds.
The extension is expected to be open by December 31, providing additional space and capacity for the winter.
A spokesperson has said that the three recent coronavirus-related deaths reported at the hospital - where 16 patients are currently being treated for the virus - have not had an effect on the plans. MORE: The James Paget University Hospital is to be rebuilt, government revealsThe hospital’s chief operating officer Joanne Segasby said: “We are delighted to be able to start working on increasing the size of our Emergency Department, which will benefit both our patients and staff.
“Once this phase of work is completed, it will provide a far more modern, spacious, comfortable and safe environment for our patients at a time of year when we are always at our busiest.
“This is just the first phase of our Emergency Department expansion plans, with more work scheduled in 2021/22, which will include enhancing areas where children are assessed and treated.”
Funding worth £2.2 million from the Department of Health and Social Care is helping finance the building, following a successful bid by the hospital.
Building work is being led by constructors Morgan Sindall, working with Eco Modular Buildings and the JPUH’s Estates Department.
Initial works will start this week, with the creation of a temporary roadway for ambulances, and temporary pedestrian crossings by the A&E and main entrance to the hospital.
From Thursday (October 22), the ten-minute patient ‘drop off’ zone near the hospital entrance will be closed and users are asked to use Car Park A as an alternative, where parking is free of charge for 30 minutes.
These arrangements are expected to be in place for the next 12 to 16 weeks.
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