Two new state-of-the-art theatres have been officially unveiled today at North Bristol NHS Trust. The Cotswold theatres, based in our Women and Children’s services at Southmead Hospital will be open for business next week for our patients.
The Cotswold theatres have been built alongside our Women’s and Children’s building to provide capacity while existing operating theatres are refurbished and upgraded.
The theatres will host 12 operations a day, with a dedicated team of healthcare professionals working together to ensure the highest quality of care to all patients needing surgery. They will be used by a range of specialities including gynaecology, breast, urology, and colorectal surgery.
Andrew Jeanes, Director of Operational Estates and Facilities, said: "We started this journey in September 2020, so to see the theatres open in less than a year is an incredible achievement for all involved.
The new theatres have been designed with patients in mind, utilising every inch available. Having used modular theatres, we were able to minimise disruption on-site and ensured the spaces we created would help our clinical teams achieve exceptional clinical outcomes. We are also proud to say that twenty percent of the building’s power will be generated by solar panels, helping us reach the Trust’s goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2030.”
The facility will benefit patients and staff alike with the latest technology and specialist equipment for surgical procedures to enhance care for our patients whilst providing an improved working environment for staff with various support and staff rest areas across the unit.
Chief Executive, Maria Kane, cut the ribbon to officially open the new theatres today. She said: “It was a pleasure to open our new Cotswold theatres and celebrate the hard work our teams have put in to make it possible, especially considering the other pressures the hospital has been under over recent months.
These theatres will provide vital care and support in helping us deliver the best care possible for patients. They will also enable us to retain our operating capacity as important upgrading work is taking place elsewhere.
I would like to thank all of our colleagues and contractors, who have worked incredibly hard throughout the design, construction, and preparation process to ensure the swift delivery of these high-tech theatres.”
