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The island’s new proposed healthcare facilities are likely to include extra MRI and CT scanners due to inpatient and outpatient services being split over two sites, an official report has revealed.
The Government has released more details from a ‘feasibility study’ which sets out the reasons why it wants to build a new ‘acute’ inpatients’ hospital at Overdale and an ‘ambulatory’ outpatients’ centre in Kensington Place and on parts of the existing Gloucester Street site.
The feasibility study, which will soon be presented to the States Assembly as a Report rather than a Proposition for debate, establishes the rationale for that split.
There are currently two MRI and two CT scanners at the Hospital, but the study outlines plans for additional machines to ensure patients at different sites have access to the scanners.
The Government say that clinicians have asked for an additional MRI and CT scanner; however, more work to do before anything is agreed and finalised.
The proposals also include creating a ‘health village’ in a field in St Saviour, which will house mental health, dementia, rehabilitation, occupational therapy, hydrotherapy and ‘step-down’ services.
CLICK TO ENLARGE: An indicative ground-floor plan of the proposed acute inpatients' hospital destined for Overdale.
The new programme proposes 134 more beds across the three sites than the 311 proposed for the now-shelved Our Hospital project, which was all based on a ‘campus’ at Overdale.
The Government say that its ‘New Healthcare Facilities’ programme will also include 30,000m² more floorspace than the previous incarnation, which put most services in a 70,000m² main building with mental health and training having their own blocks.
CLICK TO ENLARGE: An indicative upper-floors' plan of the proposed acute inpatients' hospital destined for Overdale.
The study also lists new health requirements identified as part of the latest programme.
As well as additional MRI, CT and X-ray machines, the Government say that the ‘estates and facilities’ management of the multiple sites will be a ‘centralised facility off site’.
Two dispensing robots will be also needed because of the inpatient / outpatient split and there will also be more theatre equipment and space required.
The programme also includes more provision for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and an additional ‘essential services lab’ in pathology, if the unit does not move up to Overdale.
CLICK TO ENLARGE: The New Healthcare Facilities programme does not envisage major changes to Westmount Road, unlike the previous project.
The feasibility study states: “The acute hospital will focus on acute treatment and pathways, ensuring emergency, diagnostic, and intervention focused services are prioritised.
“Critical and Specialist Care areas, including Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) and Maternity, will be in place. The main bed base will be in the Acute Hospital and walk-in pathways will be minimised.”
It adds: “The Ambulatory Care Centre [Kensington Place] will support day procedures, outpatients and long term conditions pathways, ensuring diagnostic, ambulatory, day- case and day-intervention focused services are prioritised.
“It will also incorporate an Urgent Treatment Centre, hosted by Health and Community Services but connected to the Primary Care system. A proportion of future increases in Emergency Department activity can be diverted to the UTC.”
When it comes to timescales, the programme envisages enabling works beginning on the acute hospital at Overdale next year, with construction to be completed in 2028.
Pictured: The programme envisages enabling works beginning on the acute hospital at Overdale next year.
For Kensington Place / Gloucester Street, enabling works are envisaged to begin in 2025, with the first of three phases due to be completed at the end of 2027.
The St. Saviour Heath Village is expected to be finished by the end of 2027 / beginning of 2028.
Ministers will seek Assembly approval of their plans through the Government Plan process, with the next debate – covering funding for 2024-2027 – scheduled for December.
They hope that existing building permissions for Overdale and Kensington Place will help their programme get planning approval.
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