A refurbishment project that has expanded critical care in the borough of Croydon by relocating the hospital’s dedicated stroke unit to its Jubilee North Wing and converting the Jubilee South Wing’s ground floor into a new intensive treatment unit (ITU).
A new stroke unit, enhancing patient care
The new 26 bed Stroke Unit has been modernised to help transform patient care for patients under the care of Croydon Health Services NHS Trust. It includes a range of facilities, including an outpatient clinic, bespoke therapy rooms and a therapeutic garden to enable doctors, nurses and therapists to provide holistic care under one roof. Improved facilities include wheelchair-accessible wet rooms, two ensuite bedrooms and ceiling track hoists for all of the unit’s beds. It also includes a day room with a lounge, dining amenities and kitchenette, where patients can spend time with family members.
"The exciting new facility is an extremely important addition to our critical services here in Croydon. Our borough is one of the hardest-hit areas in England for stroke and Transient Ischaemic Attacks (TIA), which can often signal that a bigger and potentially more devastating stroke is on the way.
"Time is critical when a stroke strikes, so we work as part of a specialist network in London to give people the best care possible. What this new unit means is that we will be able to combine this care with the wraparound therapy and support needed to help more patients recover and regain their lives. This will also help our multidisciplinary teams to combine their skills and expertise to give people in Croydon much more coordinated support, in and out of hospital."
Dr Enas Lawrence, Lead stroke consultant, Croydon University Hospital
The reconfigured intensive treatment unit, doubling in size
Works on the ITU included the reconfiguring of the ground floor into a 22-bed state-of-the-art facility with four isolation suites, doubling the space within the unit. This modification and remodelling provide an improved working environment for staff and enhance patient care by creating more bed spaces for critically ill patients, improving natural light, incorporating new equipment and providing enhanced facilities, including en-suites, quiet rooms and waiting areas to support families.
"This is a really proud moment for our Trust and a huge achievement for the team who have turned their years-long vision of a brand new ITU into a reality.
"So many hard working colleagues, both frontline and behind the scenes, have been involved in the design and development of the brand new unit and it’s thanks to our doctors, nurses, patients and relatives, and our contractors Kier, that we have been able to bring the new facility to life.
"By working together, we have been able to create an even better environment for our most critically ill and injured patients and their visitors, as well as a better area for our staff to work."
Matthew Kershaw, Chief Executive, Croydon Health Services NHS Trust
Works completed sustainably and in a live hospital environment
Neighbouring wards and surgical theatres continued to run throughout the build programme. Sustainable practices were important, with recycled materials used where possible and waste to landfill minimised through the use of a SMARTwaste monitoring system and a take-back closed-loop recycling scheme where possible.
"We are delighted to have handed over the highly anticipated Stroke Unit and Intensive Treatment Unit to Croydon Health Services NHS Trust. These enhanced facilities for patients and their families alike will have a long lasting impact on the community.
"This milestone marks the fantastic collaboration between the key project stakeholders and underlines Kier’s extensive experience and technical expertise in delivering healthcare facilities in live hospital environments, allowing neighbouring wards and surgical theatres to run smoothly, without interruption, throughout the build programme."
David Rowsell, managing director, Kier Construction London
