TV presenters Tess Daly and Vernon Kay joined young patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital recently as they helped to launch the start of construction work on the world-class Premier Inn Clinical Building.
The couple, who are patrons for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, visited the hospital to launch the project, which will form the second part of the Mittal Children’s Medical Centre.
Hosted by contractor, Skanska, the event marked the beginning of works that will see the top four floors of the hospital’s outdated cardiac wing being demolished and redeveloped.
Skanska will design, construct and fit-out the building to provide 116 beds, a new surgery centre, and a post-anaesthesia care unit.
The state-of-the art building, which will open in 2017, will also include a respiratory ward and a 16-bed isolation unit for children with dermatology and rheumatology conditions or infectious diseases. The new facilities will also provide much-needed space for a parent or carer to stay by their child’s bedside overnight, more room for children to play and eat together, and areas for carers to have a break.
The Premier Inn Clinical Building is the second development in the Mittal Children’s Medical Centre and will connect floor by floor with the Morgan Stanley Clinical Building, which opened in 2012. Once complete, it is anticipated the entire hospital will be able to treat up to 20% more children with the most complex, rare and often life-threatening conditions.
Great Ormond Street Hospital chief executive, Julian Nettel, said: “We are incredibly grateful to all our supporters who have made this day possible. Thanks to their generosity, we will be able to fulfil our vision of providing world-class treatment in more-comfortable and appropriate facilities suitable for patients and their families. We will also be able to treat more children from across the UK who need our care.”
Tess Daly, who along with husband Vernon Kay, has been a patron for the charity since 2007, said at the event: “It’s such an honour to be a part of this. Hearing the huge difference the modern spacious wards can make to families going through such difficult times shows how important this day is.”
Terry Elphick, managing director of Skanska, added: “We are very pleased to be working on this project, which in part was secured due to our ‘good neighbour’ strategy, where we engage with all stakeholders, including local residents. Our previous experience with flagship healthcare projects, including the UCH Macmillan Cancer Centre, and St Bartholomew and The Royal London Hospitals, means we understand that a collaborative approach delivers the best result for all parties.”
