New entrance constructed for Colchester Hospital

Construction work has begun on a new entrance for the Colchester Hospital in Essex, costing a substantial £5M which has been completely funded by noviniti Ltd for the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Trust (ESNET).

The new entrance will consist of a 2,200sq m, two-storey development with a retail hub on the ground floor that, itself, will include a Costa Coffee, WHSmith’s, and an M&S Simply Food, in addition to a waiting area and consultation rooms, while there will also feature a 400sq m Critical Care Unit extension to the Emergency department.

A dedicated administration suite will also be present on the first floor that will provide a single location for the 250 personnel who are currently housed in temporary accommodation across the campus, while outside, during the enabling works, there will be new ambulance bays, taxi ranks, patient set-down areas, and a bus stop.

The Regional Director of Construction at Seddon, Ed Wootton stated: “It is fantastic to have started work on Colchester Hospital. We aim to deliver this project as quickly and efficiently as possible, with minimum disruption to the everyday operation of the A&E department.

“Upon completion, we’re confident that the development will provide a better service for the local community, offering easier access to essential healthcare facilities with an enticing retail offer for staff, patients and visitors.”

ESNEFT and noviniti Ltd have appointed Seddon as the principal contractor together with the Yorkshire-based NHS modular build specialists, Catfoss, to ensure that work is delivered in rapid time, over the course of a 34-week programme, so as to minimise disruption while works are carried out to improve the accessibility to the hospital.

The Acting Director of Estates and Facilities at ESNEFT, Nick Chatten added: “The patient drop-off area is narrow and congested with pedestrians having to share space with vehicles, including day ambulances, buses and taxis. The existing reception foyer is particularly cramped, with there being no suitable waiting area, especially for the elderly and infirm.

The existing Colchester Hospital entrance is still practically the same as when the hospital was first opened in 1985.

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