Illingworth & Gregory (I&G) has completed a new £3.4 million Children’s Emergency Department and Assessment Unit at Barnsley Hospital, ‘paving the way for an improved experience for children and families’.
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is investing in a series of improvements across its Gawber Road site in Barnsley, including the new children’s unit, which will enable it to increase adult treatment capacity in its A&E Department. I&G previously completed theatre remodelling work for the Trust in 2019 and 2020, and began work on the new unit in February 2020, completing the design and build despite the challenges generated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alison Fearns, the Trust’s Project manager, said: “Completion of the Emergency Department and Children’s Assessment Unit is a key milestone in our wider programme to transform how we deliver children’s services to the families of Barnsley. The new unit will create a high quality, welcoming and child-friendly environment, which should massively improve the patient experience. We have taken a very collaborative approach to delivering the programme, engaging with clinical and estates staff and patients during design development pre-tender, and with staff during construction on specific design details. I&G has exceeded expectations in terms of working in partnership, and, between the client commercial team and I&G, we have overcome the challenges of a constrained site, a tight budget and programme, and the impact of the pandemic, to deliver a building we are truly proud of.”
All parts of the hospital remained operational throughout, disruption was minimised, and designs were re-visited and adapted in line with COVID-19 regulations where necessary. The I&G team laid the foundations and erected the structural steel framework before breaking through into the A&E department to connect the new children’s unit to the existing building.
An official opening will take place in the coming weeks. I&G will now move on to remodelling and refurbishing works to allow expansion of the hospital’s Emergency Department, including an Adult Majors Unit, with eight additional cubicles to reduce waiting times, and an improved sitting area. A new canopy covering the ambulance drop-off area will also be created to provide shelter to patients arriving at A&E.
I&G is also currently working on other projects for the Trust on the Barnsley Hospital site, including refurbishment and conversion works to enable the Surgical Assessment Unit and Acute Medical Assessment Unit to relocate closer together. Refurbishment and remodelling works for an MRI and CT base are also underway.
In addition, the team is working on seven projects for Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust – from creating a new emergency department entrance, to full ward refurbishments, and two further projects for Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust.
