12 March 2009
Nearly £2.8 million is being spent on giving the maternity unit at St Helier Hospital a radical facelift that will drastically improve the environment in which patients are treated and further enhance the care they receive. The work, which will be completed by the autumn, is to take place in three phases and will be funded by the Trust's capital investment programme.
Phase one of the work is already underway with £950,000 of the funding having been ploughed into a range of big improvements. This includes building a High Dependency Unit, which will be used to care for mothers who need extra attention, for instance, if they have had a difficult birth which involved surgery.
A second phase - to be completed between now and the end of June - includes the opening of a specially designed birth centre, where women who have had no problems during pregnancy can give birth in a more relaxed environment. As well as being equipped with birth pools to help with pain relief, the centre has soft lighting and other more 'homely' touches.
This stage of the project, which will cost £983,000, will also see the creation of a second theatre for the maternity unit and a complete refurbishment of the neo-natal unit, where premature and sick babies get treated.
The final phase of the project will see more than £850,000 being spent on refurbishing the gynaecology ward and ante-natal clinics. This is the biggest part of the project, with work scheduled to finish by the end of September.
Sally Sivas is the Head of Midwifery for the Trust. She said: "This investment is great news for the Trust and for local parents-to-be. The work will vastly improve the fabric of the building and allow us to increase the range of options mums-to-be are given for how they wish to give birth, for instance medical interventions on a labour ward or choosing to give birth at home.
"The maternity team work very hard to provide the best possible service, but the buildings we do it in aren't perfect. This investment will radically change that."
"A lot of money will also be spent on things that people don't normally see, for instance improving the fire warning system and upgrading the way water is supplied to the unit. There will also be cash invested to make sure the maternity unit meets the highest possible infection control and prevention standards."
The waiting rooms of the unit are set to be revamped too, making them a much nicer place for patients and their families to relax before appointments. The delivery suite's waiting room is also set to be refurbished - this is where the relatives of parents-to-be expectantly wait for news of the newborn baby.
Sally added: "The improvements aren't all inside either. Thousands of pounds are being spent on improving the entrance to the unit too, including the main reception, drop-off points and roadways. A canopy will also be built at the entrance of the building, helping to protect new mums and their babies as they wait for their lift home."
Nick Gorvett is Director of Corporate Infrastructure at the Trust and is in charge of all building works and refurbishment. He said: "The investment in the St Helier Hospital maternity unit is just part of the many millions of pounds we are spending on improving the buildings and equipment at all three sites. Last year, we spent £10 million, which included the refurbishment of Croft and Britten wards at Epsom."
