A multi-million-pound programme to improve services at St Mary’s Hospital is about to begin – and patients and visitors are being advised of all the changes that will be in place during the work.
From today (Monday), work starts on the ‘Investing in Our Future’ programme that will see extensive refurbishment and expansion of the emergency services floor and Intensive Care Unit, as well as the reconfiguration of acute wards. A new mental health and community hub will also be created in Newport High Street.
While efforts are being made to minimise any disruption, the scale of the programme – the biggest investment in the hospital in a generation – means some impact on visitors is inevitable including temporary changes to parking and access to the main entrance as well as new arrangements for blood tests (phlebotomy) and some ultrasound patients.
Acting Chief Executive of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, Dr Nikki Turner, has said:
“The £30.4m investment at St Mary’s Hospital and in our mental health community services will improve patient care and health outcomes. The new facilities will help to reduce waiting times and bed occupancy and transform community and mental health services on the Island.
“It is fantastic news for the community but delivering these improvements while maintaining our services will mean there will be some temporary changes to the way we operate.
“We have however planned these changes carefully to minimise impact on staff and patients and we hope the community agrees that any short-term inconvenience will be offset by the many benefits this project will bring.”
The main changes are as follows:
Main entrance
From mid-November there will be hoardings at the main entrance so that the emergency department (ED) improvement work can be undertaken safely. The main entrance and ED entrance will still be accessible, but via a new temporary pedestrian crossing.
Signage will direct people from the car park and surrounding area and volunteers will be on hand to direct and support people if needed in the first few weeks.
The drop-off area, disabled spaces and the taxi drop-off point currently outside the front entrance will all move to the front section of the main car park nearest the hospital. Disabled spaces currently outside the emergency department will also be moved to the main car park.
Families or carers dropping off patients are asked to vacate the drop off spaces promptly to enable access for other patients and to liaise with the patient or the department to arrange a time to collect them.
Phlebotomy (blood testing services)
From Monday 31st October 2022 to enable reconfiguration works to start on the acute wards and improve the Intensive Care Unit, the Phlebotomy department – currently located on level B – will move to a temporary location in the North Hospital.
Anyone using these services should park in the North Car Park and use the North Hospital entrance where signage will guide them to the department.
The temporary relocation will mean that the blood testing department will have reduced waiting room and blood testing capacity. Routine and non urgent blood tests should continue to be carried out by the patient’s GP surgery wherever possible. More information about where to get your blood test can be found on the Trust’s website.
Ultrasound services
Some ultrasound appointments will be carried out in a new dedicated area within the North Hospital site. Anyone referred for an ultrasound should check their appointment letter to see whether they should attend the existing site on level A or the new location in North Hospital. Those attending the North Hospital should use the North car park and use North Hospital entrance and follow signage.
Other hospital services
In mid-November 2-way traffic lights will be in place along the road used for access to the Renal, Stoma, Ear Nose and Throat, Audiology, the Education Centre and mortuary services. Anyone using this route should allow slightly more time to get to their appointment.
Intensive Care Unit
The Intensive Care Unit will move temporarily to the Coronary Care Unit as it did during the pandemic. The move will be signposted but patients and families will be kept informed directly by the department as required.
Seems a bit stupid to be starting this work as we approach a time when the hospital will be under the most pressure (Winter). It’s struggling as it is.
With over 40,000 nurses leaving the NHS every year and 1/3 of GPs saying they intend to quit it is clear that the critical factor is staffing.
Blowing millions on new infrastructure when there are no staff to run it is ludicrous and has more to do with political expediency than actually improving the NHS. It does, however, provide some lovely facilities when the inevitable fire sale to private healthcare companies happens.
It’s only under pressure because of the death jabs, wake up!
I suppose no one has previously noticed that before this building work trying to park can take you an hour. It seems to be that the expectation is you don’t arrive in a car.
I appreciate the problems but the move of the ‘drop off’ point to the main car park will further restrict car parking which is already inadequate. The ‘artistic’ layouts of the present car parks have always lacked potential capacity. Some additional temporary parking should be provided. If the fancy bends and greenery were removed and the car parks made to standard rectangular practice far more parking could be provided. (Architects should not be allowed to design car parks)
It’s bad enough finding a place when you work for the hospital you pay for a staff permit which comes out of your wages each month and often one has to drive around looking for a space quite often parking in the industrial site not much fun when you leave a shift after 10 at night.
Strange isn’t it, public wanting improvements to the hospital and when it starts happening
they all appear from the undergrowth complaining.
Oh, I want improvements all right.
First and foremost I want staffing back up to guideline safe levels.
Spending £millions of new facilities when there aren’t enough staff to safely run the facilities they currently have is ridiculous.
Not enough spaces to park as it is so let’s put all the disabled parking out of commission and expect them to find space in the main car park – ridiculous.
There used to be many hospitals on the island when I was young, shame they closed them all because it seems like st Mary’s is always under loads of strain.
given the lack of dentistry on the island isnt it about time they had a general dentistry hub to provide good NHS dentistry for under 16s and good NHS availability for other residents who qualify for NHS treatment. What happened to the community dentists which used to go round the schools.
Employ some decent staff would be the best change.