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NHS South West announced yesterday that they had approved plans for an 800 bed hospital to be built on the current Southmead site, subject to Department of Health confirmation.
The new privately financed hospital is just one strand of the Bristol Health Services Plan which has set out to transform health services across the city. Increased services will be provided closer to home, with the development of more community and primary care facilities. New NHS Community Hospitals are being built at Southmead, Frenchay and Hengrove, with further community developments at Yate, Cossham, Eastville, Clevedon and Thornbury.
Some of the benefits of the new hospital include 75% of the 800 new rooms being singular with en-suite facilities, with scope for relatives to stay overnight; 32 operating theatres and diagnostic rooms utilizing latest technologies; and an Emergency Department with a separate entrance and direct access from a helipad.
Sonia Mills, Chief Executive for North Bristol NHS Trust said, “I hope that when we are in a position to publicize the design for our chosen proposal to the public, who in the future will be using the building, will be as excited as the many staff who have been working on the plans.”
