Scarborough Hospital has marked a significant milestone in the building of its £47 million scheme to build a new Urgent and Emergency Care Centre at Scarborough Hospital, due to open next Spring.
The ‘watertight’ event – a building industry tradition marking the next phase where work can begin on the interior of the new development – was celebrated by York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive, Simon Morritt, and Scarborough staff, who were given a tour of the interior space. The project includes a two-storey new build combining and expanding the hospital’s current Emergency Department, same day emergency care, and acute medical unit. Alongside improving outcomes for the frail elderly, the Trust says it will ensure that some of the most critically ill patients in the hospital are cared for in one integrated clinical ward environment, rather than being moved to others. The second floor will house critical care services, and will increase bed capacity.
The scheme also includes work to address essential site-wide engineering infrastructure, which will – the Trust explains – ‘see huge improvements’ to the electrical system, ventilation, and drainage.
Andrew Bennett, the Trust’s head of Capital Projects, explained: “The watertight ceremony is a significant event for the Trust, and highlights how well work is progressing with the development. Completing the roof means the building is confirmed as watertight, allowing internal works to commence in earnest.”
Dr Ed Smith, Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Deputy Medical Director, added: “Our new Urgent and Emergency Care Centre offers a fantastic opportunity to make changes and create improvements for the urgent and emergency care service of the future at Scarborough Hospital. Not only will this new facility function as a centre for the 24-hour-a-day provision of urgent and emergency care services for the locality, but will also allow Scarborough-based healthcare professionals to provide high quality care to all our patients in state-of-the-art facilities for years to come.”
The ‘landmark moment’ was celebrated by Trust staff, contractors, and representatives from Integrated Health Projects (IHP), the joint venture between VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine, the construction company behind the new build. The largest capital scheme ever undertaken by the Trust, the new Urgent and Emergency Care Centre, is planned to open in the Spring of 2024.
