New unit ‘essential to life-saving work’ arrives at hospital

Equipment for a new unit, which is “essential to the life-saving work” that clinicians provide, has arrived at Lynn’s hospital.The arrival of a new modular unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital will soon house an essential service for patients.The new module will be used to relocate the Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD), which cleans, decontaminates and sterilises medical equipment and instruments used in operating theatres.

The equipment arrived in 39 separate sections over five days, and a crane was used to position parts of the modular building by a specialist team.Currently, the CSSD is in a building built of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). Despite temporary fail-safing work that has already taken place in this department, this area needs further support and needs to be replaced.Paul Brooks, director of estates and facilities at the QEH, said: “The arrival of this new modular building is a positive step in our RAAC failsafe programme. “This department is essential to the life-saving work our clinicians perform every day. Without it, there would be a significant loss in the services we can offer at QEH.“Our teams have been working hard to plan for the arrival of this new module, ensuring its arrival causes as little disruption as possible.” Planning permission for the new unit was granted at the end of last year, and it is expected to be operational from summer 2025. This building will remain on the site when the new hospital is eventually built.The building is being added to an area to the west of the QEH site, accessible via the service road.