Final approval granted for £43.5m Pilgrim hospital A&E development

A £43.5 million transformation of Pilgrim Hospital’s emergency department has received final approval, following a pledge of over £20 million funding from the government.

It comes after an August 2019 visit from Boris Johnson, who met staff and announced the provision of £21.3 million funding towards the construction of a new emergency department at the hospital.

The additional funding to ensure the transformation can be completed has come from across the Lincolnshire NHS system.

Since that visit from the then-Prime Minister, lots of work has taken place to finalise a design that meets the needs of patients and staff, both now and in the future. Plans were submitted in December 2021.

These plans have been approved by the Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS England joint investment sub committee.

It will see the hospital’s emergency department more than double in size, with state of the art innovations and infection prevention control, as well as offering a much larger resuscitation zone for the sickest patients.

More training rooms will be available for staff, a separate area dedicated to emergency care for the youngest patients will also be constructed, along with more cubicles to treat patients in.

Plans for a transformation at Boston Pilgrim Hospital have been approved. | Design: Boston Borough Council/ULHT

Health Minister, Maria Caulfield, said: “We are committed to upgrading and improving our country’s hospitals. I am delighted in this case to confirm approval has been granted for the transformation of Pilgrim Hospital’s A&E, backed by £21.3 million of government funding.

“Patients across Lincolnshire will benefit from a new upgraded emergency department at Pilgrim Hospital. This will offer more space and a dedicated area for emergency care – ensuring patients are seen and treated more quickly.” 

The four-storey building to the left of the main hospital is currently being constructed into additional clinical and office space.

This will allow the trust to clear and demolish the necessary areas adjacent to the existing emergency department next year, so that it can be extended and transformed.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust Chief Executive, Andrew Morgan, said: “Having the final approval for our full business case is the final piece in the puzzle that will enable us to start the transformation of the department.

“It has taken us a little while to get to this stage, partly because we have changed our original plans to make sure they are able to benefit the maximum number of patients and staff, not only now but also in the future.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in helping us to come up with the final design. The input from community groups, patients, partner organisations and staff really has been invaluable and we could not have done this without your support.”