Ipswich children’s department – business case approved
A business case for a new-look children’s department at Ipswich Hospital has been approved by our Board.
The £2.5m development will transform the experience which young patients and their families have when receiving care by creating a modern and welcoming department fit for the 21st century.
The dated 24-bed Bergholt inpatient ward will be refurbished and remodelled, as will the children’s outpatient department and short stay paediatric assessment unit. As part of the plans, outpatient clinic rooms will increase from six to 14, multiple break out play areas will be created and space ringfenced for teenagers and young people.
Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity is currently raising funds for the work. Read more.
Improving cancer care at Colchester
We have opened our new Cancer Wellbeing Centre, which offers counselling, support services and holistic therapies to patients and their loved ones. Built in a lakeside location close to the main hospital building, it offers a relaxed and non-clinical setting where people can get support throughout their diagnosis and treatment, as well as help adjusting to life after cancer.
Interventional radiology and cardiac angiography unit
Work has begun to build a £7million state-of-the-art specialist centre for diagnostic cardiac and radiology procedures at Colchester Hospital.
Patients will be able to be treated more quickly in the new combined interventional radiology and cardiac angiography unit.
Neill Moloney, Managing Director of ESNEFT, said: “This is an essential clinical facility bringing together two departments in a dedicated, fully equipped unit, which will replace some of our existing outdated buildings and equipment. Read more.
Elective care centre
Plans to create an orthopaedic surgery centre in Colchester for patients who need elective orthopaedic surgery such as hip and knee replacements have been given the go-ahead.
The governing bodies of Ipswich and East Suffolk and North East Essex clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) approved a proposal, drawn up by ESNEFT, during an extraordinary meeting held this week.
The decision means the £44million centre will be built on the Colchester Hospital site by 2024/25.
Its benefits will include fewer cancelled operations, as beds will be protected for planned orthopaedic surgery, and shorter waiting times for surgery. Full story.
