The £17.6 million project, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, will significantly expand the ED’s capacity and facilitate the co-location of children’s services. Once complete, the new facility will enable the return of 24/7 urgent and emergency care, addressing an issue which arose in 2017 when children requiring overnight care were transferred to Doncaster Royal Infirmary due to staffing challenges.
On Thursday 13 July, Suzy Brain England OBE, Chair of the Board at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH) and Brendan Clarke Smith, Member of Parliament for Bassetlaw, were joined by colleagues at the Trust and members of the project team to officially break ground on the project.
Speaking after the ceremony, Brendan said: “I was proud to attend the ground-breaking today to see the work commencing on this important and welcome investment into our local hospital.
“This upgrade will bring back children’s overnight stays, which I know will be important for so many families. My son Alexander was born at Bassetlaw Hospital in September and the care we received was excellent. When he later fell ill we found ourselves not only having to use Bassetlaw Hospital, but also having to make the trip to Doncaster Royal Infirmary and stay over, so I can empathise and appreciate why this new development is so important.
“I want to thank everyone on the team for their work to make this happen and for everything the staff at our hospital do for the community. I will continue to work to make sure Bassetlaw Hospital is equipped for the future.”
The new Emergency Department will be placed in a newly-built facility within the former car park opposite to the hospital’s main entrance. In addition to urgent and emergency care services, once complete, children’s services will be relocated to this area, with shared staffing which will help to alleviate the issues which has necessitated the need for overnight transfers for youngsters since 2017.
Suzy Brain England OBE, Chair of the Board, said: “I am absolutely delighted to see the commencement of the Bassetlaw Hospital Emergency Department enhancement project. Once this service is up and running, we will have spent around £35 million to redevelop facilities within Bassetlaw Hospital – I believe this is a testament to our dedication to improving healthcare services for the people of Worksop and the surrounding areas.
“I would like to extend my gratitude to all our colleagues who have worked tirelessly to bring us to this point. The commitment, expertise, and collaboration demonstrated by our internal teams, external advisers, and construction partners have been invaluable in shaping the Emergency Village project.
“Bassetlaw Hospital is crucial to our identity as a Trust, and I eagerly await the completion of this project, and look forward to further developments of this site in the future to ensure that it remains a crucial part of the community now, and for many years to come.”
The Emergency Village project, which commenced detailed work in 2021, has involved collaboration between internal clinical teams, Trust leads, external specialist advisers, and construction partners from Archus and IHP Vinci. Throughout the planning process, the project team has actively engaged with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that the new build meets all necessary space and clinical requirements.
Prior to initiating the project, the team conducted a comprehensive consultation process involving colleagues, patients, partners, and the Bassetlaw community. The overwhelming majority of respondents, 85%, expressed their preference for the construction of a new Children’s Assessment Unit adjacent to the Emergency Department, facilitating short stays, including overnight care, for children at Bassetlaw Hospital. The consultation exercise also highlighted that timely access to clinical treatment, the availability of staff for assistance, and comfortable and inclusive surroundings were the top priorities for the new development.
The architects and designers have taken into account all the feedback received during the national business case approval process, ensuring that the Emergency Village will cater to the diverse needs of patients and colleagues.
To facilitate the construction works at Bassetlaw Hospital, a temporary ambulance route leading directly off Blyth Road was established in late June. Patients arriving by car can continue to use the existing Blyth Road entrance and park in the newly created car park on the north side of the hospital. As an alternative entrance during the hours of 5am to 10pm, patients can utilise the Clinical Therapies entrance or take a short walk to access the new pedestrian route to the Emergency Department from Blyth Road.
Colleagues at the Trust have emphasised that patient safety and care remain the utmost priority throughout the planned construction, reassuring the public that the emergency department will remain available for patients in genuine emergencies. The main entrance, as well as the Clinical Therapies and Maternity entrances, will continue to operate normally.
It is envisaged that the new Emergency Department, along with paediatric services, will open its doors to patients in late summer 2024. Until that time, the existing services will continue to function as usual.
