Published date: 27 November 2023
The Scotter Ward at John Coupland Hospital in Gainsborough, run by Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS), is undergoing a significant upgrade to enhance patient care and future-proof the facility.
The Trust recently announced that the upgrade has now reached the halfway point. NHS Property Services (NHSPS), which owns and manages the building, is playing a key role in the upgrade work.
This important project includes installing new inpatient accommodation and a nurse's station to provide a modern and improved environment for patients and staff. The internal strip-out carried out earlier this year has created a blank canvas for the design of the ward. New interior partitions have since been installed, indicating what the ward will look like when it is finished.
The upgrade work also involves the construction of two new four-bed ward extensions with complex fire protection for the entire ward.
Scotter Ward offers care for patients who need time-limited inpatient care or rehabilitation. Patients are often transferred to the ward after a stay in an acute hospital, where they are ready to be discharged but not well enough to return home. The ward also plays a vital part in preventing patients from having to go to an acute hospital in the first place by offering community hospital care.
Paul Jones, Regional Capital Projects Lead (Midlands) at NHS Property Services, said: "We were pleased to welcome our NHS colleagues on site and share the progress that's been delivered so far on this important programme of work. Working in partnership with our Principal Contractor Lindum and the team at the Trust, we are confident that this project will bring the existing Morton Suite up to a high standard of refurbishment, providing patients and staff with facilities that will enable excellent patient care."
Julie Frake-Harris, LCHS Chief Operating Officer, expressed her satisfaction with the progress and stated that "it demonstrates our commitment to Gainsborough and the surrounding areas. As an organisation, we are committed to delivering great care closer to home, and this is a fantastic milestone for Scotter Ward and the local community."
Lindum Group Construction Manager Matthew Turner added, "We are very happy to see this project reach its halfway point, coming closer to providing an environment that will suit every patient's needs. It is fantastic to see the new ward taking shape. Walking around the site, you can get a feel of what the ward will eventually look like and how much this fantastic, refurbished ward will benefit the people of Gainsborough."