St John’s Hospital may still feel like a new addition to the NHS fold to some, but it needs a facelift and a £3.5m redevelopment has now begun.
This will include a theatre for eye and hand surgery within the existing Ward 20 where patients will be cared for.
There will be a new day surgery unit with two theatres. St John’s is the regional hand trauma unit, and patients can be referred from across Lothian. This is part of a larger programme with more than £30 million invested in St John’s over the coming years. Previous improvements include the £7 million short stay elective surgery centre, £3.7 million endoscopy unit and £3 million upgrade of the Labour Ward and Special Baby Care Unit.
Aris Tyrothoulakis, Interim Site Director, St John’s Hospital, NHS Lothian, said: “I’m delighted that this refurbishment has begun. The new day surgery unit will provide additional capacity allowing us to treat more people more quickly by increasing the number of ophthalmology and hand operations at St John’s.
“At the moment, patients waiting for hand trauma surgery can sometimes be admitted for an overnight stay and this refurbishment will provide additional capacity, reducing the need for these overnight stays.
“The investment shows our ongoing commitment to the Hospital and the £3.5m refurbishment will vastly improve the access for patients to these services.”
The work on Ward 20 will be undertaken by RMF Health, a consortium of two large contractors Robertson and FES, is scheduled to be complete in June 2017.
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