Current Estates Work
Current Estates Work
To ensure the structural stability of the hospital, our estates and facilities subsidiary AGH Solutions is working with the Trust on an extensive programme of maintenance work to help us tackle the worst affected areas first.
This work includes a programme of ward decants, where an empty ward is used to house another ward, so that the ward that has moved can be temporarily closed for structural repairs. This means that some services have moved either permanently or temporarily to other parts of the hospital. More information about the current estates work is below.
Service moves
A number of service moves have taken place to allow work to be carried out in the wards to structurally support the RAAC.
Intensive Care Unit
The Intensive Care Unit has permanently moved from ward 16 to ward 25 in the new modular building located at C29. More information about the new Intensive Care Unit can be found here.
Respiratory Ward
The respiratory ward is currently based in the ward 26, in the new modular building that also houses the Intensive Care Unit at location C29.
Endoscopy
Endoscopy services are being delivered from a combination of venues on-site including the temporary Vanguard unit in the labour ward car park; please see your appointment letter for details of where your appointment will be taking place. Endoscopy services will be returning to ward 8 later this year.
Temporary Ward Closures
Wards 8 (endoscopy), 16 (former ICU – now located at C29) and 19 (former Haematology and Oncology department – now located at A18 ) are currently closed so structural work can be carried out.
Contractors have been stripping out the interiors before installing specially designed steelwork, and then the wards will be returned to a useable condition.
Every effort is being made to keep disruption to a minimum, and we thank you for your patience while this essential work is being carried out.
New office building
Artist’s impression of the new building:
Progress to date:
You may have seen that we are currently constructing a new building near to the diabetes centre and mobility services.
The new building will be used as an office block that has a combination of open plan and private office spaces, with breakout pods and bookable rooms.
It will provide much needed space for staff currently working in areas of the hospital that need to be vacated as part of the major programme of work to structurally support the hospital.
The vacated areas are former ward spaces – once structural work is completed, they will then be converted to clinical space. This will allow us to increase the pace of our structural work in areas that are used for patient care.
The facility will be used to provide important services such as our digital telemedicine and clinical video consultations as well as providing modern, safe office space for nurses, therapists, and management and administrative teams.
It is being built using modern construction methods, meaning it will be more environmentally friendly as it will be heated using an air source heat pump and is well insulated, helping to reduce our carbon emissions.
Similar to our Intensive Care Unit built last year, it will be constructed in a matter of months using specialist ‘modular’ techniques. It will be three storeys high and approximately 2800m2; and will be a similar height profile to nearby buildings.
As part of this work a new path has been built to the diabetes centre entrance, allowing patients easier access from the roadside. A new ambulance bay and three patient drop-off bays have also been created.
As building work takes place there will be some general construction noise around the site until the building is complete in the spring. We appreciate your ongoing patience as this work takes place.
If you would like to share any feedback about this project, please don’t hesitate to contact us by email at anhsft.securingthefuture@nhs.net
Other work around the hospital
You may notice some estates work taking place in various locations across the hospital as we work tirelessly to reduce the risk caused by RAAC.
A small amount of this work is taking place on our wards to structurally support them. Every effort is being made to keep noise and disruption to a minimum, however if you have any queries or concerns please raise them with a member of our staff.
Temporary deck staff car park
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust is submitting plans to Bradford Metropolitan District Council to build a temporary deck car park at Airedale General Hospital.
The deck car park is planned to be single storey, which is in line with the height of other buildings on the site, and will provide an extra 107 staff parking spaces.
This will free up spaces elsewhere in the hospital grounds for patients and visitors, and help to keep the road around the hospital site free from obstructions, allowing better access for emergency vehicles.
The deck will also help enable the delivery of our plans for a new hospital, to replace the current building if the Trust is successful in securing government funding.
If approved, the deck car park will be located at the back of the hospital grounds on the largest staff only car park (P5).
We are currently seeking comments and queries regarding these proposals. We would welcome your views on the proposal. WSP are appointed to assist us in the planning process. Please send any feedback or questions via e-mail to lydia.easten@wsp.com by 15 May.
