Essential construction works to start at Medway Maritime Hospital

Date: 05 May 2016

A programme of essential construction works will begin at Medway Maritime Hospital on Monday, 9 May.
 
The works will run for a period of approximately eight weeks, with the overriding objective of significantly improving access for South East Coast Ambulance Service vehicles. These works are the latest milestone in the Trust’s exciting plans to redevelop the Emergency Department at Medway Hospital.
 
The bulk of the works will take place between Monday, 16 May and Friday, 27 May. During this period, contractors will start work on realigning the main access road that runs directly outside the Emergency Department. This will also involve the excavation of a large section of the grass bank situated next to the Postgraduate Centre, as well as the construction of a specially designed lay-by for ambulances.
 
Due to the excavation, there will be a regular presence of construction vehicles on site at Medway Hospital. The Trust is deploying staff to help manage traffic at the main roundabout by the Windmill Road entrance. It is important to stress ambulances will still be able to access the site as normal, as will patients with disabilities or mobility problems travelling by car – all of whom can be dropped off at the main hospital entrance. This does, however, mean that some patients and visitors travelling by car will not be permitted to travel further than this point.
 
Claire Lowe, Director of Estates and Facilities at Medway NHS Foundation Trust, said: “These works are an essential part in the next phase of our exciting plans to redevelop the Emergency Department for the people of Kent & Medway.
 
“We’re not anticipating any major disruption on site or traffic congestion in the surrounding area. At the same time, we would like to remind people that we will have certain traffic restrictions in place between Monday, 16 May and Friday, 27 May. This will prevent some people in vehicles from dropping off or picking up from the main hospital reception. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause in the short-term to patients and visitors.”
 
Following the excavation, contractors will immediately turn their attention to the removal of the main canopy outside the Majors section of the Emergency Department. 
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