Major Emergency Department refurbishment to get underway
A £1million project to refurbish and modernise the Emergency Department at Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway will begin in February.
The project will result in improved availability of clinical space and will increase the number of resuscitation spaces from one to three (with one of the resuscitation spaces being dual purpose and can also be used as two treatment rooms). The project will also result in improved ventilation throughout the department and will include a new nurse call system to improve safety and patient care.
As a result of the construction work that will need to take place to refurbish the department, there will be some temporary changes to service access whilst work is underway.
Access to the Emergency Department
From 8am on Thursday, February 13, 2025, the Emergency Department will be temporarily relocated to the other side of the hospital main reception, into what was originally the Day Hospital but is now used as the Acute Assessment Unit (AAU). Appropriate signage will be installed to ensure access is clear to those needing to access the service.
Access to the Acute Assessment Unit
The Acute Assessment Unit will temporarily relocate to a bay in the Day Surgery Unit (level 2) in Western Isles Hospital from Friday, February 7. Again, signage will be clear to ensure those accessing AAU will be aware of the change.
Parking arrangements
The actual construction work will commence on Monday, February 17, and will take around 10 weeks (projected to end week commencing April 28).
For that period, there will be important changes to the parking arrangements at the hospital.
The parking spaces directly outside AAU will be strictly reserved for emergency ambulances transferring patients to the relocated Emergency Department. Members of the public must not park in this area, which will be clearly cordoned off and signposted for ambulance transport only.
Stewards will be on site for periods during the initial phase of construction to assist with access and to ensure this area is kept clear for ambulances.
NHS Western Isles Chief Executive, Gordon Jamieson, said: “This is an exciting time for us as an organisation and for the wider community, as we take steps to improve and modernise facilities for the local community. The design of the new facility was developed in partnership with staff who manage and work within this department on a daily basis so that it is absolutely fit for purpose for the services that are delivered there. We look forward to an improved facility in the spring.
“In the interim period, while construction is underway, there will clearly be unavoidable disruption for those attending the hospital. We would apologise in advance for this disruption and thank everyone for their cooperation, patience and understanding in the meantime.”
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