14 November 2011
St Helier Hospital took centre stage today (14 November 2011) as local MPs unveiled a gigantic banner celebrating the £219 million redevelopment of the hospital.
The banner, which has been mounted to the front of the hospital, is 17.5 metres long and 7.5 metres high, making it almost as long as a 'bendy bus', and as tall as a house.
It depicts the latest design of what the new, state-of-the-art building will look like and comes as the Trust prepares to move staff and clinics out of the area that will be demolished.
Chief Executive Matthew Hopkins said: "The banner covers the whole of the front of the hospital entrance, and is two storeys high. It's a real testament to the amount of work going on behind the scenes every single day so that we can have a brand new hospital on the site as soon as possible.
Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, and Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, were two of the first people to see the new banner when they visited the hospital earlier this morning.
Paul Burstow MP, who is also Minister of State for Care Services, said: "The banner is a clear sign to everyone who visits the hospital, or who walks, cycles or drives past it, that the project is well underway. Whilst it will be some months yet until the bulldozers arrive on site, local people should be reassured that the redevelopment of St Helier Hospital is continuing apace."
Tom Brake MP said: "I am delighted to see things moving forward with the St Helier redevelopment. A project of this size involves a lot of planning, especially when you consider that the hospital will have to continue running throughout the building works. As such, the Trust needs to put in place the best possible plans to minimise disruption to services, patients and staff whilst the works are underway.
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"We know that local people are as keen as we are to see bulldozers on the site, and look forward to demolition work starting in just over a year."
Subject to final Department of Health approval, staff and clinics will begin to move out of the old Ferguson House, to be demolished, in the course of next year. Demolition work is due to commence in 2013, with the redevelopment scheduled to be completed and opened in 2017.
The banner also reminds local people that they can keep up with all the latest news on the redevelopment by following the Trust on Twitter: @epsom_sthelier, or on Facebook (facebook.com/epsomsthelier).
Key facts about the redevelopment of St Helier Hospital:
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£127 million to be spent on new hospital building;
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£40 million spent on upgrading remainder of the site;
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£17 million local care centre;
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346 beds, including 50 per cent in single rooms;
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Purpose-built outpatients department;
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New pharmacy department;
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Centralised eye clinic;
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Multi-decked car park and improvements to hospital entrances/exits.
