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Multi-million pound Sunderland Royal Hospital revamp set to create new jobs

Sunderland Royal Hospital’s emergency department is in line for a multi-million pound revamp, due to submitted plans being approved.

To cater for the increase in patients, staff numbers will reportedly be boosted.

Building work should start within the next few months and could be finished by 2016 which will result in the children and adult’s emergency department will be completely separate.

The new five-story development will alleviate pressure on the Royal’s A&E department, after hospital chiefs said admissions had risen between seven and eight per cent over the past year, far above the national average of three to five per cent.

Dealing with a broader range of health issues, an ageing population and a shortage of doctors willing to work in A&E have all contributed to the increase.

The work will be completed in three phases.

Initially, the two existing wards will be refurbished, whilst the front of the new paediatric emergency department entrance will be refurbished.

The second phase will see the existing emergency department refurbished.

Additionally a new five-storey extension will be added to the front of the building.

During this phase, the newly refurbished paediatric area will be used as a temporary emergency department.

Phase three would include the construction of a glazed entrance canopy, with the adult emergency department temporarily providing emergency care for all patients.

A spokesman for City Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust told the Sunderland Echo: “The new emergency department at Sunderland Royal will be one of the most advanced units in the region offering patients the highest quality of emergency department technology and staffing.

“The existing department at Sunderland Royal received over 127,000 attendances during 2013-14 – the new unit will meet the demands of ever-increasing patient numbers and the pressures of the growing elderly population.”

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