A new Northern Ireland children’s hospital has been given the formal go-ahead, with work scheduled to begin in a matter of days, it's been confirmed. The 10-floor state-of-the-art facility, which is an Executive flagship project, will be located within Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital site.
There will be 155 beds, 10 theatres, and an emergency department capable of catering for up to 45,000 children per year. Eighty per cent of the beds will be in single rooms with private ensuite facilities, and each ward will benefit from social and play spaces, with parent facilities and separate staff areas.
Speaking about the announcement First Minister Michelle O’Neill said providing high quality care for sick and seriously ill children is a priority for the Executive.
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"This is very welcome and long-awaited news for families across the north," she added.
"Once completed the new hospital will provide our children and young people with access to the very best medical treatment as well as improving their overall experience of hospital care. I look forward to work starting on the hospital within the next few days and the significant benefits it will bring to staff and patients."
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said: "This new Children’s Hospital at the Royal Victoria Hospital will transform services for children in a modern and fit for purpose facility. The investment by the Executive in this new hospital is a sign of our commitment to providing the highest quality care for our children. The state-of-the-art facility, equipped with the latest technology and play spaces, and staffed by dedicated professionals, will ensure that children receive the very best treatment in a nurturing and healing environment.
"It is imperative that we improve our healthcare services and drive down health waiting lists. That's why this Executive has made this a priority and we will continue to work closely with the Health Minister on this important work."
With a five-year construction timetable, the new hospital is projected to be opened by Belfast Health and Social Care Trust at the beginning of the next decade. The construction works are valued at £389million, with the overall development projected to cost £671m. The works costs will be spread over the five-year construction period and will be funded from the Department of Health capital budget, rather than the separate budget for day to day health and social care services.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt welcomed the news. He said: "This is excellent news for children and parents across Northern Ireland, and for our dedicated health and social care professionals who deliver outstanding care to children and young people. Patients and staff deserve the very best facilities that we can provide and the new Children’s Hospital will be truly world class, a healthcare facility that we can all be proud of.
"While we celebrate the go-ahead for this prestigious new facility, it’s important to acknowledge that, in common with major children’s hospital developments in Scotland and RoI, this project has had a difficult history with significant delays and cost increases.
"I tasked Departmental officials to identify the key lessons from the new Maternity Hospital project and ensure that they were applied ahead of the contract signing for the new Children's Hospital. It is essential that a range of improvements are secured to the management of this project."
Interim Chief Executive of Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Maureen Edwards added: "I am absolutely delighted that work will soon begin on the new children’s hospital. This is a much-needed hospital that will ensure future generations of children in Northern Ireland will continue to receive exemplary, specialist, and dedicated care, but in a modern 21st century building. I am excited for current staff and for those to come, who will finally have a contemporary hospital building suitable for the needs of the children and the families they care for."
Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey hailed today’s announcement of a new, state-of-the-art children’s hospital as a 'game-changer' for children and families.
The West Belfast MP said: "It’s hugely positive news that the Executive has today announced it has approved construction of the new children’s hospital, with work to begin in ‘a matter of days’.
"This will be a game-changer for families, enabling sick children to be treated at a world-class hospital with state-of-the-art facilities and services. This is another positive step forward for our health service, its workers and patients as we continue striving to reform and modernise.
"The new hospital, once built, will be transformative for healthcare in the north, and I now look forward to seeing work begin on this exciting project."
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