12/11/2019 | Press releases

Footpath closure at Colchester Hospital

The main footpath from the visitors’ car park to the main block at Colchester Hospital will be closed from 7am on Wednesday, 13 November through to Wednesday, 27 November.

 

This closure is necessary so drainage works can be carried out as part of the ongoing project to redevelop the hospital’s main entrance to improve the experience of coming to the hospital for patients and relatives.

The diversion route, which will be clearly signposted, will take patients, visitors and staff around the central footpath – around the lake to the left hand side of the visitor car park and across the grass verge on the right.

John Fulcher, head of capital projects at Colchester Hospital, said: “We have done our best throughout this huge project to avoid the pedestrian route being closed at peak times, but this closure is necessary to complete some of the final, essential works.

“We appreciate the diversion is a different route to the way people would normally go, but help will be at hand for anyone with mobility issues. We will have a team available between 8am and 8pm each day to take people in wheelchairs to where they need to be.

“We hope we may be able to re-open the footpath earlier if we can, but we thank everyone in advance for their patience and understanding.”

The extension to the building, which has largely remained unchanged since the hospital opened in 1984, is being funded by working with commercial partner noviniti Limited.

It takes the form of two blocks. The first is single-storey and provides additional space for the Emergency Department, this now includes the Urgent Treatment Centre that opened in October.

The second is a larger, two-storey block which forms the new entrance. This will provide non-clinical hospital space on the first floor, with new visitor facilities, shops and cafes on the ground floor. These include M&S Simply Food, WH Smith, Costa Coffee and the League of Friends, with Stock Shop further down into the main building in the Outpatients corridor.

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