Stand-in wards to cost £4m.
UP TO £4m. could be spent on two temporary wards if HSSD gets States approval for a major redevelopment of the hospital, the department's corporate services director has said.
Richard Evans (pictured) said if and when Giffard Ward, and potentially de Saumarez Ward, are redeveloped – HSSD wants deputies to approve spending £30m. on the hospital as part of the capital prioritisation programme – the two temporary 'modular wards' could then be installed.
'If I had my way Giffard Ward and the whole surgical block would be knocked down and rebuilt,' Mr Evans said. 'We know it has asbestos, and is at the end of its useful life. It was built in the 1970s and if there were any water leaks we would have to take serious action. If we close the wards we would have to decamp the patients and are looking at two 20-bed units, these would be joined to the hospital.'
Deputies will debate the next round of capital projects in the summer.
HSSD's project would see some areas of the PEH receiving a full refurbishment or rebuilding, with the theatres, sterile areas and the surgical areas being top priorities.
Should approval be granted for the rebuild of the two wards, HSSD would then look to bring in the temporary structures. Mr Evans said the department had so far sought expressions of interest from companies able to supply the wards.
'They are temporary buildings akin to what the Army would use and are common in the NHS. They can have a design life of 10 years, and we would be looking to put it outside the PEH, by the flagpole and roundabout.'
