Building work is starting this week on a new and improved A&E reception aimed at providing improved patient access and facilities at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn.
Contractors are due to arrive on site on Monday (13 January) to start laying groundwork for the scheme and will begin erecting Heras fencing between the main hospital and A&E receptions to allow for the installation of a new footpath.
The main work, to redevelop the A&E reception, will begin in early February when the public and ambulance receptions, along with the communications desk, will move to temporary locations.
Visitors will be unaffected as the public reception will be housed in a temporary mobile building, which will be accessible via a new zebra crossing across the road from the main car park linking up with the footpath.
The temporary public reception will back on to the existing waiting area, which will be accessible through a new entrance. With signs erected directing the public to the temporary reception.
Treatment rooms will be unaffected by the work.
From Monday, cars will no longer be able to drop off outside the hospital and A&E receptions and will instead have to stop in designated spaces in the main hospital car park. A security guard will be on duty to control access to the road.
The moves are expected to take place over a two or three hour period on 3 February when staff and equipment will be transferred to their new temporary locations. The ambulance reception will move to Resus Bay 2, while the communications desk will move to a staff area further up the corridor.
Internal screening will be erected around the existing reception area while the building work is taking place.
The next phase, between 30 March and 9 April, will involve work beginning on the new ambulance entrance. During this phase, crews will be able to access the ambulance reception through an A&E lobby entrance, while the public will continue to use the temporary reception.
The work is expected to last approximately eight weeks and forms part of the Trust’s £17.6m capital programme for the year.
Chief Operating Officer Denise Smith said: “This work will significantly improve the facilities in the Emergency Department and provide staff and patients with better experiences and access.
“We’re sorry for any inconvenience the project may cause, but have worked hard to keep disruption to a minimum.
“We’re sure that everyone will appreciate the work that has taken place once the redeveloped department is up and running.”
TIMELINE:
- Today, Monday, 13th January: Site set up to commence, contractors R G Carter to install site office on grass near the entrance to the access road.
- Tuesday, 14th January: Erection of Heras fencing between main hospital reception and A&E visitor reception to enable work to start on footpath.
- Monday, 27th January: Erect temporary internal screen and remove existing window in reception waiting area and form door new opening
- Monday, 3rd February: New A&E Access operational from mobile building within fenced off area
- Monday, 3rd February: Reception and communication desks to move to new temporary locations.
- Monday, 3rd February: Temporary internal screens erected around existing reception desks to enable redevelopment to start.
- Thursday, 9th April: Internal works to be completed
- Thursday, 9th April: Start and completion of return moves for reception and communication desks. While Ambulance and A&E new access should be fully operational, they are dependent on completion of return moves
- Thursday, 23rd April: Complete minor external works.
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