Patients have begun moving into the £7.8m new Clitheroe Community Hospital in Lancashire.
The modern, therapeutic and clinically-efficient building supports staff in delivering the highest level of service to individuals that require 24-hour nursing.
“The new hospital provides a two-storey purpose-built environment that is dementia friendly,” said Nick Prole, senior architect at IBI Group, which designed the building.
“Patients benefit from views out onto the surrounding landscape, optimised natural light, intuitive wayfinding, and significant communal space including an external exercise therapy area that doubles up as an alfresco dining room.”
The inpatient department features 16 individual ensuite bedrooms and four four-bed bays, which are designed to be converted into single bedrooms if required. These bays provide greater privacy and personal space for patients, reducing cross infection and improving observation by nursing staff.
“This is an absolutely fantastic facility for staff and patients, who are so pleased with their new surroundings,” said Debbie Hargreaves, matron for community inpatients at Clitheroe Hospital.
Kathryn Berry, regional director (North) at NHS Property Services, added: “Clitheroe is a superb new hospital providing state-of-the-art facilities fit for 21st-century healthcare.”
Delivered in partnership with East Lancashire Building Partnership, and built by Eric Wright Construction, the new hospital is designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ sustainability rating and includes an outpatient department and consultation rooms, specialist dentistry unit, physiotherapy and occupational therapy facilities, a restaurant and Clitheroe’s new ambulance station.