Planning permission granted for new facility at Guy's Hospital
Plans for a flagship new orthopaedic centre of excellence at Guy’s Hospital in London moved a step closer to reality this week after planning permission for the project was granted.
The new facility, designed by IBI Group for Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, aims to improve the patient, with solutions to minimise patient movement while maximising privacy and dignity. With an internal footprint of 6,500sq m over eight floors; the centre will provide eight new operating theatres, including support accommodation and discharge areas.
Teaching facilities for medical students within the building will further support excellence in teaching, research, and innovation.
Work on the scheme is expected to start later this year, with Curtins, Mace, and Troup Bywater + Anders also joining the project team.
A restricted site
With a restricted hospital site bounded by London Bridge Station and iconic buildings including The Shard, the design team was challenged to develop effective and innovative spatial and clinical solutions, one of which will lie in the use of individual ‘Medi Rooms’ providing patients with a one-stop approach to their pre- and post-operative care.
IBI Group studio director and orthopaedic centre project manager, Garry Howard, said: “Within a highly-constrained physical site, the project has tested our design skills at all levels.
“We’ve risen to the challenge, and successfully identified innovative clinical planning solutions, offsite construction techniques, and a high-quality palette of materials to ensure the new orthopaedic centre of excellence fits sympathetically with its surroundings.”
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust operates one of the most-successful orthopaedic surgery departments in London, providing elective, non-elective, and trauma services for local patients.
And the new centre will provide a full range of elective orthopaedic procedures for patients.