March 23, 2021 2.29 pm This story is over 36 months old

New Scunthorpe hospital A&E approved

Historic office block will be demolished to make way
A sneak peek at what the new department will look like. | Photo: NLaG
By Local Democracy Reporter

A new accident and emergency department at Scunthorpe General Hospital has been approved by council planners.

North Lincolnshire Council have approved the plans for the development, which includes a new A&E and a bespoke acute assessment unit.

It will be funded by the department of health and social care, as well as NHS England, and has been designed to reduce stress on patients and staff during peak times.

There will be an increased waiting area, as well as more cubicles for patients, a dedicated ambulance bay and a play area for younger patients or visitors.

The new site can be found on land which is currently being used for offices and car parking, but it will soon form a brand new emergency department in Scunthorpe.

The office block will be demolished to make way for the department, despite being one of the oldest hospital buildings at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust, though bosses are keen to preserve the site’s heritage however possible.

W.H. Butterick’s sketch of Scunthorpe Hospital (left) and the entrance to the admin block that will be demolished for the new A&E facility. | Photo: Lincolnshire Chronicles & NLaG

The building dates back to the 1920s and actually formed part of the original Scunthorpe and District War Memorial Hospital, so a new heritage wall is being created within the main building.

Historical photographs will be hung up on the wall, and people are being encouraged to email over any old photographs or memories of the hospital.

Director of estates and facilities, Jug Johal, the senior responsible officer at NLaG, said: “I’m delighted that we have now got over this final hurdle in the planning stages of the programme and work can start in earnest to bring these new facilities online.

“The improvements we will make will help us to lower waiting times in A&E and diagnose patients more quickly as a result of faster access to specialist clinicians.

“The number one priority for our teams is to give you the best possible care and these works will give them the space, equipment and facilities you need to do that and to ensure we got this right, we have worked closely with clinical colleagues throughout the design process.”

You can watch a walkthrough video showcasing the plans for the new departments below: