The six-bed unit will provide additional space to house specialist equipment and more room for staff work, as well as the incorporation of a smart glass installation in each bedroom, which can be switched between opaque to privacy and transparent so staff can see for observations.
The new development will provide a “much needed upgrade” over the previous unit which was “no longer fit for purpose” and did not have enough space.
There will also be a dedicated family room which we hope will make the visit a better experience for relatives and friends.
Staff will also benefit from a new changing room and seminar room, and the unit will mirror the facilities available at the Royal Sunderland Hospital, making it much easier for Trust staff working at both sites.
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Helen Turnbull, Divisional Director for Theaters and Critical Care at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This new unit will make a real difference to our critical care patients and will also make it a much better, brighter and more more modern for our staff. work in and for the relatives of our patients to visit.
“The department will be in line with what we already have in Sunderland, with the same equipment and layout, and will create a much better environment for us to care for some of our sickest patients and support their loved ones with dignity. .
“We are already seeing the progress of the work and know that this will be a great addition to our hospital as we will future proof our facilities for years to come.”
Construction work is underway on the Ingham Wing in the main hospital building, providing easy access to other key areas such as emergency services, radiology and theatre.
The construction works are carried out by the construction company Tolent and should be completed by the end of this year (2022).
Tolent Division Director David Thompson said: “We are delighted to have started work on this incredible project and it is great to be part of the solution that is bringing positive change to NHS services in the region. .
“The project builds on our existing healthcare portfolio with recently completed projects at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Freeman Hospital and Nightingale North East.”
The new intensive care unit signals the latest in a series of developments underway at South Tyneside District Hospital.
A £200,000 building project is also underway to revamp the hospital’s emergency department resuscitation area, turning open bays into bedrooms, with extended space set up for heart and trauma patients.
The project, which will also see the updating of the position of doctors, is expected to last around two months.