Work starts on new PRH women and children’s unit
The first phase in building the new £28 million Women and Children’s Unit at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford begins today.
As part of this work, children’s outpatient services at the Princess Royal Hospital will be temporarily relocated to Ward 14 for approximately five weeks.
Included in the first phase of works is the construction of a new staff and visitors’ car park at the rear of the hospital, which will be constructed over the next five months.
Steve Peak, Interim Chief Executive, said: “It is great news that work has started on the Women and Children’s Unit. This is the result of lots of discussion and detailed planning. I would like to thank our doctors, nurses, managers, patients and families who have worked so hard to make this a reality.
“We aim to keep any disruption to a minimum but please bear with us over the next couple of years as we work hard to create what will be a fantastic new facility for women and children across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales. For the latest information, look out for the notice boards being displayed around the hospital or go to our website”
Due to open in summer 2014, the unit will be for children who need to stay in hospital overnight. It will include a children’s outpatient department, children’s assessment unit and a new children’s cancer and haematology unit. It will also be for women who require a consultant-led delivery and babies who need special care. In addition, a new women’s ward will be created which will include inpatient breast and gynaecology services.
Mr Andrew Tapp, Consultant Gynaecologist and Obstetrician and Centre Chief for Women and Children’s, added: “I am so pleased that we are a step closer to delivering the very best state-of-the-art facilities for women, children and their families across our communities. We are continuing work with our staff, patients, parents and the wider public on the detail within the unit so please get in touch if you would like to be involved.”
The full business case for the changes was approved earlier this year by the Board of the regional health authority, NHS Midlands and East and follows extensive local review and scrutiny from the Primary Care Trust Cluster, Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin and GPs in Clinical Commissioning Groups.
