An exciting programme of investment to improve the estate across all of our sites is underway. The largest programme is the redevelopment of Chase Farm Hospital (CFH) but there are also a number of other important improvement schemes currently taking place. At Barnet Hospital (BH) the emergency pathways are being remodelled which includes the opening of a new medical short stay unit, a 16 trolley adult assessment unit and an emergency department led clinical decisions unit. There are also four main projects currently underway at the Royal Free Hospital (RFH):

8 East ward refurbishment   

8 East is shared between respiratory medicine and general medicine and will continue as a respiratory care unit, providing medical, nursing and therapy services. The refurbishment will provide a 28 bedded ward which will include a new multi-disciplinary team room, treatment room, dirty utility room and refurbishment of the staff central reservation area. The work is due to be completed by November 2016.

Private patients unit on 12 North

The private patients unit (PPU) at the RFH makes a valuable contribution to the income that the trust receives, which in turn is spent on our NHS patients. The unit will be upgraded to allow the ward to care for haematology and oncology in-patients along with patients requiring day care treatments. The upgrade will provide five new bedrooms and three ensuite bedrooms. The work is due to be completed by December 2016. 

Manufacturing pharmacy

Improvements are being made to the manufacturing pharmacy unit at the RFH to ensure it is operating in line with current best practices and optimising capacity to supply high quality medicines to internal and external customers. The work involves the complete refurbishment of the existing non-sterile production and central intravenous additive service departments. The work is due to be completed by December 2016.

First part of the new emergency department opens

The new emergency department (ED) at the RFH is due to open later this year. A key stage of the project is now complete and the new dedicated paediatric emergency department, TREAT and ambulatory emergency care area, clinical decisions unit (CDU) (previously known as the George Qvist ward) and staff facilities opened in August.

The next phase of construction work has started. This work includes the development of a rapid assessment and treatment area including new ambulance handover facilities, a new imaging facility including two x-rays and one CT scanner and a six bedded resuscitation unit. The final phase of work, due to be completed in March 2018, includes a new 30 bedded CDU, which replaces the temporary George Qvist ward.

Image: The new paediatric emergency department reception area at the Royal Free Hospital