The Ridgeway Hospital has begun work on a £3.2m development programme that will further add to the hospitals position as one of the leading providers of healthcare in the Swindon community.
The upgrade, which began this month, will provide the hospital with a third operating theatre, extension to the main hospital reception, a refurbishment of the existing pharmacy and new consultation rooms. The project is due for completion in June.
The investment from owners BMI Healthcare will fund the state-of-the-art operating theatre for a wide variety of medical and surgical procedures including orthopaedic surgery, endoscopic and laparoscopic procedures. The theatre is equipped with laminar flow ventilation, which increases infection prevention, and is particularly beneficial in joint prosthesis surgery such as knee or hip replacement.
Tony Yates, executive director at The Ridgeway, said: “We are very excited to share our plans with the local community and delighted that work is progressing on developing a state-of-the-art facility which uses the latest thinking in hospital design.
“The Ridgeway Hospital is committed to the continuous improvement of its clinical facilities and services, and the investment and development of the new units will be vital in helping us to maintain the high quality of care we provide to Swindon. This development will also benefit the local community generating up to 30 new jobs in the region.”
To ensure continuity of service during the upgrade, the hospital has opted for a modular building solution where the bulk off the work is carried out off site and then delivered to the hospital for assembly. The remaining work, which includes an enlargement and refurbishment of the patient reception facilities, pharmacy and consulting suites, will be carried out onsite and will be done with minimal disruption. The two existing theatres at the hospital will continue treating patients as normal during this time
