29/11/2021 | Big Builds

Ipswich Hospital’s new entrance is now open

The new south main entrance (entrance 2) at Ipswich Hospital opened on Monday, 29 November 2021.

This is the first big opening as part of the £23.1 million transformation that will improve how patients and visitors access services at the south end of the hospital.

After six months of major building works, visitors and patients will now have a welcoming and spacious entrance and access to a new retail area. Meanwhile we continue to work on the next big builds, the Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) and Emergency Department (ED).

Neill Moloney, Acting Chief Executive of East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) said: “The opening of our new main entrance at Ipswich Hospital marks a major milestone in our £52million development programme for the site.

ESNEFT colleagues stand outside the new entrance at Ipswich Hospital

“I would like to thank everyone involved in the development and building of the new concourse and hope that everyone within the hospital, patients, visitors, volunteers and staff will benefit.”

Paul Fenton, Director of Estates and Facilities at ESNEFT, said: “We are pleased that the new main entrance to our hospital wards and other departments is now open along with new retail facilities that are much larger, and offer greater choice for our visitors and staff.

“This opening marks the start, in earnest, of the remodelling of the front of the hospital and the construction of our new Emergency Department and Urgent Treatment Centre which will create greater capacity and improve the experience of patients using our services.

“We would like to thank members of the public for their patience and understanding whilst we carry out these construction works to improve the hospital for the population we serve.”

The development programme for Ipswich Hospital includes a new urgent treatment centre, a new emergency department, new breast care centre and new children’s department.

Other changes as a result of these works

We are asking Trauma and Orthopaedics and the Fracture Clinic patients to use the new south main entrance (marked in the green zone on our hospital map).

Patients who have appointments for Trauma and Orthopaedics and Fracture Clinic are instead dropped off at Car park F where there will be a new clearly identified drop-off zone.

Patients with appointments for Rheumatology, Physiotherapy and Hand Therapy are instead dropped off at entrance 6 (central outpatients).

There are a number of big building projects going on with millions of pounds being invested to make sure our patients have the best possible environments. Please bear with us – the disruption is only short-term and we will be hugely improving the hospital as a result.

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