Tilbury Douglas Starts Work on £40 million Walsall Manor Emergency Department
Tilbury Douglas have started work on the main phase of a new £40 million Emergency Department at Walsall Manor Hospital.
Commissioned by Walsall Healthcare Trust, the new Emergency Department will significantly improve facilities and capacity by delivering over 5,400m2 of additional accident and emergency provision.
The new department has been specifically designed to provide one central destination for all patients and visitors, bringing together previously separate pathways. The improved design also allows for greater flexibility and the addition of extra space and capacity in core areas when required.
The department will include a reception area and a waiting and triage area, where admissions can be prioritised and directed efficiently. Clinical spaces include an Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC); ED Majors department, including Resus and Rapid Assessment and Treatment (RAT); Paediatric Assessment and Treatment Unit; Acute Medical Unit and provision for Ambulatory Emergency Care in a future phase. Various specialist facilities are located throughout, such as an isolation room for infectious patients; bariatric provision and x-ray rooms. All areas have been designed specifically to enhance medical staff efficiency, productivity and quality of care to improve the staff and patient experience.
Built adjacent to the current A&E provision, the existing building will also be reconfigured and refurbished, providing additional support space for the hospital and staff on completion of the new build.
The project will be delivered to BREEAM Excellent standards, helping the Trust deliver on their long-term sustainability agenda.
Russell Caldicott, Executive Director of Finance & Performance and Walsall Healthcare’s Senior Responsible Officer for the development said:
“This is fantastic news for patients, staff and visitors. It builds further upon the multi-million pound developments for Integrated Critical Care and the Neonatal Unit, giving the trust the estates infrastructure to cope with future healthcare demands.
“As a local resident, I am delighted that we have been able to secure support from national and local system colleagues for this substantial investment into Urgent and Emergency Care at Walsall.”
Ned Hobbs, Walsall Healthcare’s Chief Operating Officer, said:
“A five-month programme of enabling work has now been completed during which time we’ve seen the widening of the blue light route for ambulances as well as mine workings carried out and the installation of more than 460 piles to support the steel frame.
“The new ambulance parking area outside the old Emergency Department entrance has also been completed.
“So much has already been achieved but when the main phase gets underway that is when the whole project will suddenly seem much more for those of us who are watching its progress with such excitement. In just over a year’s time we will have a fantastic new addition to Walsall Manor Hospital that will provide a massive improvement to our healthcare services.”
Simon Butler, Managing Director for Tilbury Douglas in the Midlands said:
“We’re delighted to start the main phase of this development – which will significantly improve emergency healthcare provision across the Trust. This development clearly illustrates our ability to deliver complex projects in the healthcare sector.”
Works are due to start at the end of May, with an overall completion date of (autumn) 2022.
Tilbury Douglas were appointed through the Procure 22 framework in 2019 and have since developed the project in collaboration with an expert design team and delivered a significant enabling works package, including remediation, archaeological works, road reconfiguration and piling.
Tilbury Douglas have also assisted the Trust this winter with the delivery of an emergency winter pressures project, delivering four areas of accommodation with a mix of off-site construction and refurbishment in just 15 weeks.