Confirmation that funding has been approved for the construction of a new £73 million “North Wing” at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry has been described as “very good news” for health care provision for the people in city and throughout the North West.
Altnagelvin Hospital.
The Western Health and Social Care Trust (Western Trust) has confirmed the Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) has approved the business case and funding to progress the design and construction of a new building.
The development will incorporate six inpatient ward areas, a new main entrance to the hospital and relocation of car parking facilities.
Welcoming the news, Derry SDLP Cllr John Boyle said the confirmation the development was to go ahead was “very good news” for the people of Derry and throughout the North West.
Gerard Guckian, chairperson of the Western Trust, said the confirmation was “great news” for patients and staff.
He added: “The investment will enable the Western Trust to continue with the strategic development of the Altnagelvin Hospital site and will help to deliver leading edge clinical services in a modern healthcare setting.
“The development will complement and be constructed in parallel with the new £50m cross border Radiotherapy Unit which is due to open in mid-2016.
“As the largest acute hospital outside Belfast, supporting the second highest concentration of population in Northern Ireland, this project is of significant strategic importance and will contribute to safe and effective delivery of patient care across the network of acute hospitals for Northern Ireland.”
Elaine Way, Trust chief executive, said the new building would be designed in a way that would ensure patients received their care and treatment in a “modern clinical and therapeutic environment, compliant with emerging statutory and regulatory standards.”
She added: “The services to be accommodated in the new ‘North Wing’ will transfer from the existing Tower Block at the Hospital. The construction of the new building is the first step of a major project to upgrade accommodation for all of the services currently located in the 50 year old Tower Block. Once services are relocated to the new ‘North Wing,’ the Tower Block building itself will be refurbished. A phased approach to the project is required to ensure safe continuation of services on site at all times.”
Design and construction of the new building is expected to be completed by the end of March 2017. Services at Altnagelvin will remain fully operational during the construction period.
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