£3.8 million pound plan to extend critical care at Lincoln County Hospital can go ahead
A £3.8 million pound extension to critical care at Lincoln County Hospital has been given the go ahead. The plans will see 12 beds created for people who need to be on a ventilator due to respiratory issues such as those caused by Covid.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (ULHT) applied to the City of Lincoln Council to install a new 12-bed modular critical care assessment ward off the existing frailty ward.
Funding for the works will come from a mixture of £7 million urgent and emergency care government allocation funds and also from the trust’s own internally generated capital funds.
Simon Evans, ULHT’s Chief Operating Officer said: “This will be used as a specialist respiratory support unit to provide our respiratory team with the capacity to deliver specialist care, such as non-invasive ventilation. The facility is all side rooms, reducing the need to enter unnecessarily and controls the spread of infection.
He added: “This will provide a fantastic facility to deliver a modern, high quality respiratory service.”
Planning documents said: “These additional beds are urgently required by Lincoln County Hospital, which has only been amplified by COVID-19.”
According to plans, each new bed will come with its own room, along with ensuite facilities and lobby area. This will include facilities such as staff rest rooms and kitchen as well as utility spaces and there will be a total of 32 rooms.
The build will include a new external corridor linking the two wards, two new ramps to be used as fire escapes and new landscaping outside the ward.
The plans are part of overall works for the trust’s accident and emergency department upgrades.