Remodelled Emergency Department at Barnsley Hospital helps increase patient capacity

Illingworth & Gregory (I&G) have completed refurbishment works to extend the Emergency Department and Adult Majors Unit at Barnsley Hospital to allow more capacity to treat patients.

The works follow the recent completion of the Children’s Emergency Department and Assessment Unit which form part of Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s investment in a series of improvements across its Gawber Road site in Barnsley.

Alison Fearns, Project Manager at Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“Completion of the refurbishment and expansion of the Emergency Department and Adult Majors Unit is yet another key milestone in our wider programme to transform how we deliver services to the families of Barnsley.

“Phase 3 provides the Emergency Department with an additional nine cubicles, including one as an assessment hub where the former ambulance entrance once was.

“This new department will massively improve our patients experience’’.

Phase three works included the strip out of the area and a brand-new layout to accommodate improved nursing stations, new mechanical, ventilation and electrical installations, and data systems.

Sean Henderson, I&G Managing Director added:

“Although this phase has been a lot shorter in duration than phase two, it has been far more challenging for the team due to the clinical services around the area also being under refurbishment.

“We have also faced logistical challenges, having to work adjacent to the existing busy Emergency Department which has remained operational throughout. This has meant that a lot of works have had to be undertaken outside of normal working hours to reduce any impact to the department.

“The team have adapted extremely well and overcome any obstacles with great professionalism; testament to the relationship the I&G team have already built with the trust and clinicians throughout the duration of the project so far. Phase 3 has also allowed us to further demonstrate how flexible we are as a team when we have had to consider the national health crisis on top of any other challenges faced.

“Overall, the scheme has been a huge success so far and we look forward to our continued work with the Trust and Facilities Team over the coming months. Further works on the MRI, CT, SAU and AMAC areas are well underway, due to be completed in the next few weeks.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved, and I am proud to move forward onto the next phase with the same dedicated team.”

The next stage of the project includes refurbishment and conversion works to enable the trust’s Surgical Assessment Unit and Acute Medical Assessment Unit to relocate closer together. The Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computerised Tomography (CT) are also being remodelled.

Richard Jenkins, Chief Executive of Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust added:

“Our Paediatric ED has been completely transformed and is virtually unrecognisable compared to how it was before.

“The team moving in next week marks the closure of our £3.9million investment into a project to build the Children’s Emergency Department and Assessment Unit – an incredible achievement considering the circumstances.”

In addition, the team is working on several 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.

Front Left :
Barnsley Hospital Nurses, Claire Wroe and Steph Riding
Locum Consultant in A&E, Dave Walker
Project Manager, Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Alison Fearns
Site Manager, I&G, Steve Dowie
Barnsley Hospital Nurse, Hannah Gorst
Contract Manager, I&G, Lucian Timu
Director, Northern Interiors, Shane Jones

Front right:
I&G MD, Sean Henderson

Front Middle:
Architect, DAY Architectural, Samantha Murray

Middle back:
Director, Sheffield Electricity, Kieron Reed
Site Manager, Complete Pipework Services, Ricky Burton

Right back:
Director, Complete Pipework Services, Geoff Waller