Theatres Block construction site
Published 19.07.2022
The construction of a new state-of-the-art Theatres Block at Hinchingbrooke Hospital will be reaching new heights with the arrival of a tower crane on site.
This a crucial stage of the second phase of the redevelopment plans to create new facilities on the Hinchingbrooke Hospital site.
The tower crane is due to arrive at 6am on Saturday 23 July – timed deliberately early to keep disruption to the site and surrounding areas to a minimum, with the final safety checks set to be completed by Sunday 24 July. Once in place, the crane will take the build to the next stage of construction, through to its completion in Autumn 2023.
The road and footpaths to the back of the hospital site close to the ambulance station will be closed, while the crane is put into position, however access will be available for emergency vehicles if required.
The construction is being captured via a time lapse video which has started recording the activity on the site as it moves up from foundation level.
Arshiya Khan, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is an exciting stage of the development as we reach major milestones and watch the Main Theatres Block take shape. There has been a lot of hard work completed behind the scenes in order to get to this stage, so it is very exciting to see our vision becoming a reality.
“There may be some disruption on the site as we move the crane into position, but our teams have made plans to ensure that this is kept to a minimum.”
The new building will house seven new operating theatres, featuring the latest in surgical technology and the potential to use robotic equipment. There will be a dedicated obstetrics theatre and paediatric recovery area specially-designed for our younger patients. The build plans have also factored in the opportunity to increase space to accommodate any future service need.
Hinchingbrooke Hospital staff have been involved with the design process to ensure the needs of our patients and staff are at the forefront of our plans to provide the best care for our local communities.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
- Phase 1 of the Hinchingbrooke Hospital redevelopment programme was completed in January 2020 and saw the Urgent and Emergency Care Centre increase in size, with a new Ambulatory Care Unit and Acute Assessment Unit (AAU), two mental health support rooms and an increase in Emergency Department space.
- Phase 2 is the construction of the Main Theatres Block which will provide a bespoke environment for surgical procedures and replace the current theatres in the main hospital which are nearing the end of their functional life.
- Phase 3 of the programme is dedicated to a new hospital build by 2030 in order to replace the main hospital site which is experiencing known structural issues with the roof and walls, due to the concrete used in the original construction process in the 1980s.
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