A planning application has been submitted which says that all wards will need to be upgraded to ensure they remain up to standard.
If approved, the programme of work will begin on the Chevalier Ward which will be adapted to accommodate patients from other wards as they are refurbished, unit by unit.
Plans have also been submitted to install a second CT scanner, to provide a second line of defence if one machine has to be taken out of service.
A design statement accompanying the application said: ‘As a result of the delay to the provision of a new hospital building the existing wards located in the existing buildings urgently require refurbishing. The proposed works set out within this document are urgently required to ensure the existing Hospital continues to operate efficiently and safely until a new hospital is developed.
‘It is proposed to initially refurbish the Chevalier Ward located on the first floor of the granite block prior to refurbishing the remaining wards within the Hospital in sequence by temporarily decanting them into Chevalier Ward while refurbishment is being carried out.
‘A critical part of the refurbishment works is to carry out minor internal alterations to the Chevalier Ward to enable it to temporarily accommodate as best as possible the varying requirements of the other wards.’
The States press office have been asked how much the project will cost and when it will begin.
Meanwhile, proposals – totalling £2.2 million – have also been lodged to replace the existing CT scanner and install a second machine which can be moved into the new hospital when it is eventually built.
According to a design statement accompanying the planning application, the current situation of having a single machine poses a risk to patient safety – if it is taken out of service for routine maintenance or if it breaks down.
The second machine is due be installed within the new year and housed within a ‘temporary prefabricated’ container.
In the design statement, it says: ‘This stand-alone application for a temporary building has been prioritised based on Health’s critical assessment and commitment for ensuring that the existing hospital is kept fully operational and provides a safe essential clinical service for Islanders until the new hospital is available.
‘Once a new hospital is completed this temporary building outlined within this application will be removed and the minor material changes to the listed building will be reinstated back to their original appearance.’
Gary Kynman, deputy director of operations, said the need for a second scanner had been identified as part of a hospital management review carried out in 2018.
‘CT scanners are instrumental in modern healthcare, particularly in emergency care where there is the need for time critical interventions,’ he said.
‘A CT scan supports the rapid diagnosis and treatment of patients who present with medical or surgical emergencies including those who present with a suspected stroke.’
An interim scanner is due to be in place at the Hospital from August for a period of 12 to 14 weeks while the current unit – installed in 2010 – is being replaced.
