Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has launched a new 20-bed elective care facility as part of its bid to expand capacity and relieve excess pressure.
The new ward – named the Jubilee Unit in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee which was being celebrated at the time of construction – will treat patients who have undergone colorectal or hepatobiliary surgery at the trust’s City Hospital.
The trust say the new building has taken up a modular design, meaning the main structures were constructed offsite and eventually craned on, which, not only expedites the time needed for construction, but also minimises disruption on a busy site.
Ayan Banerjea, Colorectal Consultant Surgeon and Divisional Director for Surgery at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “I’m delighted that we are now able to open the Jubilee Unit after many months of hard work from many people.
“The unit significantly increases the number of planned surgical beds we have available, and is a fantastic environment for staff to work in and for patients to receive care post-surgery, with a focus on enhanced recovery. As a Trust we are absolutely committed to reducing our elective waiting lists and ensuring our patients are able to get the care they need, in a timely way.”
The opening of the Jubilee Unit was made possible thanks to the Government’s Targeted Investment Fund, which has been setup to support health settings up and down the country tackle backlog and the long waiting lists that have remained since the pandemic.
As part of another move aiming to release bed space and alleviate pressure, the Nottingham trust is also looking to build a new modular theatres building at the City Hospital. By using the newbuild’s three theatres and Enhanced Perioperative Care Unit, where patients needing a higher level of post-operative supervision can be cared for, local health leaders believe workload can be distributed more evenly across the city and help ease emergency pressures.
