The county's largest hospital is investing £6.5m in a new three-theatre complex to meet the demand of treating the county's youngest patients now and in the future.
Work on the new unit at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital will begin next week, ahead of demolition and site clearance works on Monday, February 15.
The theatre is set to become an "integral" part of the Jenny Lind Children's Hospital and will be completed in two phases, starting with the creation of a twin paediatric theatre suite, a six-bay recovery unit and other associated works.
The hospital plans to create a three-theatre complex, with associated recovery and a Children’s Day Procedure Unit (DPU).
Emma Jarvis, environment manager, said: “This is a very exciting project for NNUH. The environment we are creating will be more colourful, relaxing and aimed at putting children and their families at ease."
Project manager Ray McFee added: “The equipment and environment will be specific and designed around our children and young people, as we aim to provide an environment staff can feel proud to work in as an integral part of the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital.”
The hospital will be inviting patients, their families and staff groups to give their ideas on the final look of the complex.
NNUH women and children’s operational director, Laura Schaffer said: “We are thrilled to start work on the creation of this new Children’s Theatre Complex within Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital at NNUH. It will benefit our patients greatly by improving their environment and ensuring we have dedicated capacity for our children’s surgery. This is the start of a number of exciting developments for Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital, as we work to cement our status as a major children’s centre for the region.
"This project has been a real team effort, and so many people across anaesthetics, theatres, women and children’s and surgery have come together to create what will be a fantastic facility for JLCH and NNUH. We’d like to express our thanks to all for helping us get to this point – and especially to the project group who all gave so much time to helping finalise the designs and equipment schedule, you have all been invaluable.”
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