Winchester MP Steve Brine was present at the opening of the new outpatient department at Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester on Friday 3rd May.
The new department first opened its doors in the New Year, and all outpatient clinics as well as Audiology and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinics have moved to the new department on B-Level of the Burrell wing at Royal Hampshire County Hospital. The new department will see approximately 100,000 patients per year come through its doors, and replaces the old facilities which face Romsey Road.
The new department offers a modern and welcoming environment and facilities. It includes specially designed waiting areas to make waiting with children easier for parents and carers and also more enjoyable for the children. There will also be self check-in kiosks so patients can choose how they confirm their arrival for their appointment.
A number of other developments have taken place on the Royal Hampshire County Hospital site to make it easier for patients to access the new outpatient department. This includes dedicated disabled parking and a drop off area in the Queens Road car park (which will be renamed Burrell Car Park), and a buggy to help patients make their way from the hospital's multi-storey car park through the site.
The project is one of the developments funded by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Andover War Memorial Hospital and Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital. The cost of the project to provide a new outpatients department for Royal Hampshire County Hospital is £3.3million which also includes IT equipment and the move of the department and equipment to the new building.
Hampshire Hospitals Chief Nurse and Chief Operating Officer Donna Green said: "We are so pleased to be able to welcome patients into the new department. At Hampshire Hospitals we care about improving services for patients and their experience with us. As a Foundation Trust we are able to reinvest in our facilities and services so that we can continue to develop and improve.
"The old outpatients department was past its best, and did not reflect the excellent standards of care we aim to give our patients. The new department is modern and purpose built to the latest standards in many fields including infection control and the specialist soundproofing necessary for the audiology clinics. Both staff and our patient voice group have been involved in the planning and design of the new department, and we know it will provide a better working and caring environment for everyone."
Speaking after the event, Steve Brine said: "This fantastic new facility is what our hospital should look like all over and the challenge is to do exactly that. There will be many difficulties and compromises as the service model across the new Trust is brought forward but this is about a significant new investment in the RHCH and that is really welcome by me and I am sure my constituents who will use it."
Pictured; Steve joins Mayor Frank Pearson and Chief Executive Mary Edwards
