Plans to expand children’s services unveiled

The Trust has submitted an application for planning permission to build an extension which will help create a brand new centre for children’s services.

The plans include construction of a two-storey extension off the west side of the main hospital building, which will fit between the St Stephen’s Centre and Doughty House and create a roof over the ambulance bay.

A decision on the application is expected in late May. The extension would allow all children’s services to be located on one level and improve accessibility between other departments such as children’s A&E and the maternity and neonatal units.

Mr Simon Eccles, Chief of Paediatrics, says: “The new building will provide us with enough space to develop a new paediatric theatre suite with four theatres, one of which will include a state-of-the-art surgical robot.

“The development also supports our bid to be designated as the specialist paediatric surgical centre for North West London.

“Demand for our children’s services has risen sharply in recent years and we are now at the stage where we can’t plan any further expansions because we simply don’t have the space. We are really excited about the development of our new centre for children’s services and the benefits that it will deliver to the children and young people we care for and their families.”

Last year Chelsea and Westminster treated more than 40,000 children as outpatients and almost 9,000 children as inpatients and daycases. Our 24-hour dedicated children’s A&E department sees more than 30,000 children every year.