Some of the region’s sickest patients will benefit from a brand new, state-of-the-art critical care unit, which has opened at Blackpool Victoria Hospital this week, as part of the second phase of the £25m Emergency Village project.
The Critical Care team in their new unit
The new unit, which includes 16 single-patient rooms, has been designed to provide the very best care and experience for patients and their loved ones, co-designed with patients and families who have previously used the Trust’s High Dependency (HDU) and Intensive Care (ICU) facilities.
Including dedicated staff facilities, rest areas, changing rooms and workspaces, the new unit will also feature additional space for families and visitors.
The new Critical Care Unit will be a dedicated ward replacing the existing HDU and ICU wards, offering round-the-clock care for the hospital’s most vulnerable patients. Patients will be cared for in individual spaces that can be sealed to prevent infection from spreading, and the unit also has three specialist isolation rooms.
Steve Christian, Deputy Chief Executive at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals said: “This new integrated Critical Care Unit is a tribute to the years and months of planning and design from colleagues, patients and teams across the Trust.
“We now have a brand new facility which is modern, spacious, bright and beautiful, allowing our amazing critical care colleagues to focus on providing the very best of care to some of our poorliest patients.”
Natalie Hudson, Chief Operating Officer at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals said: “The new Critical Care Unit will benefit both patients and their families across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre providing a first-class environment for patients to receive specialist care and to recover.
“The single patient areas give our patients comfort when they most need it, while the bespoke lighting, acoustics and technology will make a huge difference to their time spent on the unit.
“This new state-of-the-art environment will also provide our fantastic colleagues the perfect platform to continue their brilliant work.”
The Critical Care Unit is part of the second phase of the development, a three-storey building that will also incorporate the Trust’s new Same Day Emergency Centre (SDEC), which is scheduled to be open for patients in the autumn.
The Emergency Village development will progress to the third phase over the next 12 months with the focus switching to extending and improving the emergency department provision.
The construction partner for the scheme is Integrated Health Projects (IHP), a joint venture between VINCI Construction UK and Sir Robert McAlpine.
Sarah Senior Acting Managing Director of Atlas added: “The Atlas Capital Development and Estates teams have worked closely with the Trust to deliver this scheme. This new high quality facility will significantly improve the patient experience and enhance patient care whilst offering a much-improved working environment for staff.”
John Fowler, Contracts Manager at IHP said: “We are extremely proud of our ongoing relationship with Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, from handing over the first part of the Emergency Department refurbishment last year and then on to the new Critical Care Unit. This marks another landmark step in the great relationship that IHP has with the Trust here at Blackpool and we look forward to the redevelopment of the existing ED department over the next 12 months following the handover of the new Critical Care Unit.”
