We are really excited that planning is underway to build a new intensive care unit (ICU) within Kingston Hospital. Outcomes for patients cared for in Kington Hospital’s intensive care unit are nationally recognised and the Trust has received agreement in principle to build a new facility on site, which will further improve the quality of the environment for patients, their families and staff working in the unit, as well as increasing the number of ICU beds.
The current ICU is a challenging environment. Staffing models are inhibited due to the number of single rooms and restricted lines of site, whilst daylight is compromised for many of the existing beds and as a result, the means of providing a 24-hour rhythm for patients during their stay, which is known to aid recovery, is not available. Space for adequate equipment to treat and assist in rehabilitation is also lacking, restricting the ability to provide patients with the opportunity to sit out and mobilise prior to transferring to an inpatient ward.
The new building, which we hope to locate in the centre of the Kingston Hospital site, will comprise of four levels incorporating the intensive care unit, as well as car parking on the ground floor and additional space that can be adapted for future use.
The development is aligned with our long-term estates plan and clinical priorities for Kingston Hospital, as well as broader South West London strategies. Subject to the approval of a business case by NHSE, a 16-month construction programme is expected to begin on site by the end of 2024.
We are working on plans with our construction partner, Mace Willmott Dixon, and engaging with staff, patients and their families, and local people, to help inform our planning.
Watch a short film about the project:
Take a virtual tour of proposed designs for the intensive care unit, created by Hunters architects:
Thank you to everyone who has attended our recent information sessions and engagement events. Watch a recording of our online engagement event (20 April 2023):
View presentation slides from the event.
Plans for the new ICU include 21 ventilated beds – will this be enough?
South West London have modelled the bed capacity required for the whole of the region and this projection takes into consideration the increasing and ageing population. Kingston Hospital is able to share ICU capacity with other hospitals in the Critical Care Network across South West London, meaning that patients can be moved to intensive care units in other London hospitals, if needed.
What will the impact be on other patients, while the building works take place?
Our logistics plan means that all building site traffic will arrive from Kingston Hill, which is a separate side of the hospital site to patient traffic.
Patients coming to our physiotherapy department, which is close to the planned construction site, will be redirected to a new entrance at the rear of the department (accessed through Kingston Surgical Centre) with support from our welcome volunteers to help them find their way.
In terms of noise levels, demolition of the building that was previously on the site of the new ICU, has already taken place. Some of the building work will be completed off site and we will be using quieter construction methods and techniques, such as screw piling and a pre-cast concrete frame, to help reduce noise levels on site.
We are not expecting noise or dust levels to be significant, but we will be constantly monitoring this as part of our considerate construction commitment.
Will there be fewer car parking spaces?
We are currently reviewing car parking across the hospital site as a whole, to help us provide sufficient parking for patients and visitors, as well as for our staff.
