On 22 March 2010, the Department of Health approved our plans (known formally as an outline business case) to spend £219 million redeveloping St Helier Hospital.
The announcement was made during a visit by the then Minister of State for Health Services, Mike O'Brien MP, to the hospital.
The plans include demolishing the hospital's five-storey Ferguson House and replacing it with a brand new, state-of-the-art building which will house the majority of the hospitals wards and clinics. The new building will include 346 beds, with more than 50 per cent being in single rooms.
Following 2010's General Election, the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon George Osborne MP, reiterated the new Government's commitment to the redevelopment by including it in the October 2010 comprehensive spending review.
The plans form part of an initiative led by the local NHS, called Better Healthcare Closer to Home, which aims to improve the care provided to people from across Sutton and Merton. Better Healthcare Closer to Home is led by NHS South West London.
Our plans include:
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£127 million will be spent on a new state-of-the-art hospital building, which will house the majority of the hospital's wards and clinics;
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The new building will have 346 beds, including 50 per cent in single rooms;
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£40 million will be spent on upgrading the remainder of the hospital site, including operating theatres;
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£17 million will be spent on opening a new local care centre, where people can receive diagnostic tests and x-rays. The centre will form part of the new building;
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Opening a purpose-built outpatients department, centralised eye clinic and dedicated pharmacy;
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Building a new multi-decked car park making it easier for patients, visitors and staff to park on the site. We will also make significant improvements to the hospital's entrances and exits.
Some of the key benefits are:
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Fit for the 21st century - a hospital in which we can provide high quality care in a clean, safe and welcoming environment;
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Improved experience for patients - 50 per cent single bed rooms, single sex wards and improved disabled access;
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A better place to work for staff and volunteers - new facilities, including improved changing areas, better car parking and a new coffee shop;
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A more productive and efficient hospital - the new building will be designed in a way which meets today's style of healthcare, so that services fit together in the best way possible.
The cost of the work, in today's terms, is £190 million.
This figure works out at £219 million once inflation has been added (i.e. to calculate the cost when the work is due to be completed). These costs include £40 million upgrading the remainder of the St Helier site.
The cost of the redevelopment also includes integrating a local care centre within the new building, which will cost £17 million.
Yes - we have spent a considerable amount of time working out what we can afford to do.
It is important to note that the cost of redeveloping St Helier is based on the income of St Helier only.
The redevelopment will be funded through a scheme called public dividend capital (PDC). Applying for PDC funding is the cheapest and most efficient way for us to pay for the work.
As part of the Better Healthcare Closer to Home initiative, NHS South West London will be building four local care centres, which will provide a range of services, including diagnostic tests, e.g. blood testing and x-rays, and outpatient services.
The centres, which will be managed by NHS South West London, will be spread across Sutton and Merton, including one which will be incorporated in the new building on the St Helier site.
We are working very closely with patients, patient representatives, staff, volunteers, local politicians, local councillors and other stakeholders to make sure that the redevelopment meets their needs.
A Project Board has also been established to offer advice and support to the scheme and includes representatives from the Trust, NHS South West London, London Borough of Sutton, Sutton Local Involvement Network (LINks), Merton LINks and staff unions. The papers of their meetings are available below.
The timetable for completing the work at St Helier is 2017, with building work starting in 2012. Here's how we envisage the building phases progressing:
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Clear and demolish Ferguson House (March 2012 - October 2013)
demolition will take longer than might be typically expected due to the fact that the hospital remains a 'live' site. As a consequence, it will need to be almost brick-by-brick to minimise disruption.
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Construct the multi-deck car park and improved road access (January 2013 - April 2014)
carrying out this work early will ensure that disruption to parking and access is
minimised whist the new wing is built.
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Construct the new hospital building (May 2014 - March 2017)
as with the demolition phase, construction will need to take into account the fact that there is a busy hospital adjacent to the site.
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Commission and occupy the new building (April 2017)
this period includes inspecting the premises, installation of equipment, testing out IT systems and checking heating, power and water supplies. We anticipate that this will take three months.
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Refurbish the areas of the main building (May - December 2017)
to allow the eye clinic, outpatient services and office staff to return from Sutton. Completes the project.
The best way to keep up-to-date with our plans to redevelop St Helier is by reading the project newsletter (see below). You can subscribe to receive these by calling 020 8296 2406 or by emailing communication@esth.nhs.uk.
We would welcome requests for members of the St Helier redevelopment project team to attend meetings of local community groups and other stakeholders to talk about the project and to take questions.
Please contact Sarah Dicker on 020 8296 2406 or by emailing communication@esth.nhs.uk to request a speaker.
