An expected rise in demand for critical care and theatre services over the next 10 years has led to the opening of a new £22.8m building at Leighton Hospital in Crewe.
Designed by AFL Architects for Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and built by Interserve Construction, the new building includes eight operating theatres - four with Ultra Clean Ventilation- as well as 14 recovery beds and 14 critical care beds.
The facilities feature the most up-to-date equipment available and will allow the people of Crewe, Nantwich and the surrounding area to receive first-class treatment in a modern environment.
The project has been years in the planning and it is brilliant that we are finally able to offer these further improvements in care to our local community
The operating theatres rival the best in the country and include two ‘barn’ theatres – essentially one large operating room that enables two procedures to be carried out side by side with shared preparation and cleaning areas. The ‘barn’ principle has been proven to reduce infection rates.
The intensive care bays are divided by glass panels that can be made opaque at the touch of a button to increase privacy. Ceilings within the bays, and elsewhere in building, are fitted with Sky Ceiling panels that mimic blue skies, designed to encourage patients to relax as much as possible while they are being treated.
Tracy Bullock, trust chief executive, said: “I am immensely proud of the new facilities that we’ve been able to provide here. Not only do our patients now have fantastic, state-of-the-art treatment options on their doorstep, but they also have the security of knowing that they will be fit-for-purpose and available for many years to come.
“The project has been years in the planning and it is brilliant that we are finally able to offer these further improvements in care to our local community. The team which has overseen the project from day one has worked tirelessly to bring the plans to life, and I’m not alone in my belief that these new facilities are amongst the best in country.”
The critical care and theatre environments created will undoubtedly receive recognition for being exemplar of that type in the UK
Sheldon Walsh, healthcare drector at AFL Architects, added: “We are delighted to have been an integral part of the team successfully delivering this state-of-the-art facility on behalf of the trust. The critical care and theatre environments created will undoubtedly receive recognition for being exemplar of that type in the UK.”
Mechanical/electrical engineer for the project was Arup; while Capita Structures was responsible for structural engineering; RPS Group oversaw acoustics; Tenos took on fire engineering; and WSP was responsible for traffic engineering.
Featured companies
- Companies:
- Capita
- Ove Arup and Partners
- WSP UK Ltd Leeds
- AFL Architects
- Mid Cheshire Hospitals
- RPS Group
- Tenos
