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| Artist's impression of how the refurbishment might look if approved |
A PROPOSED revamp of the site of Grimsby's Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital could lead to to the construction of a new Emergency department and a replacement car park - one built on two storeys.
The ambitious project has been outlined in an illustrated document supplied by Leeds-based P+HS Architecture in support of a planning application submitted by the Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Trust.
It states: " There is a requirement to develop facilities within the region to improve the urgent care infrastructure to support and to enable the roll-out of standardised, urgent and emergency care.
"This improvement will include two key developments:
• New purpose-built Emergency department
• Refurbishment of existing accommodation to create a new Acute Assessment Unit (AAU)
"Maintaining a 'business as usual' approach is no longer fit-for- purpose.
"Patients are being admitted to specialty beds when they only require observation or assessment, not secondary care treatment.
"This means the bed availability for those that do require such treatment is compromised.
"This effects patient-flow and results in long waits in the Emergency department until suitable beds are identified, often with a change of ward required for other patients."
The waiting time target for patients in the ED is currently four hours from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge.
However, this is often difficult to meet because the current ED is undersized by 50 per cent for the patient population and number of annual patient visits.
The proposed new two-storey car park, earmarked for construction near the new Emergency department, will require the removal of the existing visitors’ car park.
Construction is programmed to start start in February next year and, if approved, will take approximately 12-18 months to complete.
The project is likely to cause significant short-term disruption but there will be widespread consultation.
The proposal that is currently under consideration by North East Lincolnshire Council planners.
This sounds like an admirable project to me. Anything that improves the size and running of our hospital is to be welcomed with open arms. As for the visitors' car park, I have said for some years that it needs to be on more than one level. One can only hope the council gives its approval ASAP.
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