Changes at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital

Overview

Improvements will include the extension of the Acute Medicine Initial Assessment (AMIA) area, which provides an improved same day emergency care provision, the extension of the Acute Medical Assessment Unit, which will increase the bed space by 17 beds and enable the centralisation of acute medicine at GRH along with improved Mental Health provision and the conversion of non-clinical space within Gallery Wing to create a new 24-bed ward. In doing so this will help to:

• Increase ward space and the number of patient beds.
• Improve flow through the Emergency Department and urgent care more broadly, enhancing our ability to deal with surges, improving patient waiting times and improving patient experience.
• Create the capacity to develop Radiology Services leading to more consistent delivery against the access standards.

Meanwhile, the new IGIS Hub at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital will establish a 24/7 hub for image guided interventional surgery, comprising interventional radiology, vascular surgery and interventional cardiology.

Images

Artist's images

Children's Emergency Department opens at GRH: January 2024

The Children's Emergency Department (ED) has now moved into its permanent home in the new Emergency Department at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. The map below shows the new entrance.

New Emergency Department entrance from 1 December 2022

The first of the new areas that will eventually come together to create a state-of-the-art Emergency Department at Gloucestershire Royal opened today (1 December).

In a significant milestone in the GRH development, there's a new entrance for walk-in patients attending our Emergency Department at GRH. The Children’s Emergency Department is now available there too having moved from its long-term temporary home in the main atrium.

Building works disruption

17 January 2024: minor disruption during moves

Patients visiting our Emergency Department (ED) at GRH can expect a degree of disruption on 17 January as we complete the latest set of moves as part of our site development programme. This will affect patients accessing our Minors (walk-in) area and Children's ED as moves take place to give these areas their permanent locations within the new department.

The Children's ED entrance is clearly signposted from the Minors entrance, which can be seen in the map below.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience.

From 10 December 2022: Update on disruption at GRH

Vehicle access to Gallery Ward (including the staff car park) has now been restored. However, vehicle access to the Main Atrium remains limited with drop-off only and no parking available; we suggest that you use alternative disabled parking areas at the Therapies entrance, as indicated in the map below.

For 2-3 weeks from 28 November 2022: significant disruption to Gallery Wards access

Continuing building work at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital is likely to cause significant disruption and possible queues around the GRH site. This is due to resurfacing works at the roundabout outside the Tower Block. This may cause congestion around the site and you may wish to allow extra time to get to your appointment.

Gallery Ward: there will be no patient vehicle access to Gallery Wards, including patient drop-offs

• Gallery Ward staff car park will be closed
• People picking up or dropping off patients for Gallery Ward should park in the Tower Car Park and walk to collect the patient. Wheelchairs will be available at the points indicated on the map
• There will be limited parking for EZEC and SWAST ambulances dropping off or collecting Gallery Ward patients at the front of the Tower Car Park (they can also use the rear access via London Road)
• This will impact on the disabled spaces at the front on the Tower Car Park, please consider alternative disabled parking spaces as indicated on the map.

Atrium users (including Outpatient appointments): no vehicle access

• For vehicle access to the Atrium (drop-off), this means accessing the atrium via other routes; for example, the Therapies Entrance including disabled parking (access via Beacon House entrance).
• Disabled car parking is available as marked on the map.
• For pedestrian access, this means following the green path indicated on the map
• Patient transport ambulances dropping/picking up patients for outpatient appointments in the Atrium will need to use the London Road entrance at the back of the building
• Deliveries into the Atrium will use the London Road entrance

Emergency Department (ED) users

• Ambulances: normal route – unaffected by these works
• Patient drop-off only for ED: limited space available by Atrium

Pedestrian Access to all routes

Pedestrian access is largely unaffected by these works, Since the GRH site is likely to be congested, please take extra care when crossing and follow the signs.

From 21 November 2022: ongoing building work

Work on the GRH site from 21/11/22 affects patient vehicle access to the Atrium entrance and Emergency Department at GRH. This may cause congestion around the site and you may wish to allow extra time to get to your appointments.

Atrium users (including Outpatient appointments)

• For vehicle access to the Atrium (drop-off), this means accessing the atrium via other routes; for example, the Therapies Entrance including disabled parking (access via Beacon House entrance).
• Disabled car parking is available as marked on the map.
• For pedestrian access, this means following the green path indicated on the map
• Patient transport ambulances dropping/picking up patients for outpatient appointments in the Atrium will need to use the London Road entrance at the back of the building
• Deliveries into the Atrium will use the London Road entrance

Emergency Department (ED) users

• Ambulances: normal route – unaffected by these works
• Patient drop-off for ED: sharp right as shown on map
• Pedestrians: follow signs and see the map below

From 7 November 2022

From 7/11/22, continuing building work at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital is likely to cause significant disruption and possible queues around the GRH site. This is due to tarmacking of the blue light ambulance route on site, which means that emergency ambulances will be coming onto the site via the same entrance as the Tower Car Park (see Map 1)

This means:

• There may be significant queues for staff accessing the Tower Car Park at peak times between 8 and 9am and a shift changeover times
• Patients and visitors are advised to allow extra time to get to their appointments
• Patients and those dropping patients for appointments at the atrium should use the Therapies entrance, as indicated on Map 2
• Pedestrian access to the Atrium remains open, as indicated in green on Map 2
• Pedestrians and Cars should take extra care accessing the GRH site

Emergency Department access for patient drop-offs: you will be able to turn into the site to drop a patient but you cannot park or wait and will be directed to turn around.

• Wheelchairs will be provided where indicated on Map 1 for those unable to walk. This will be managed by our portering team.

Map 1: blue light route and wheelchair bay

Map 2: access to the atrium for pedestrians and accessible parking at therapies entrance

Map 3: Monday 7 November only, closure of Mayhill Way between the estates building and mortuary.

Access will remain for deliveries, emergency vehicles and Women & Children's drop off and will be managed by the banksmen posted at each closure point. The crane will be located in the midwives parking area.

There will be Banksmen at each end of the closure to assist both staff and members of the public with the diversion and to ensure access for emergency vehicles, patients dropping off and deliveries.

From 24 October 2022

Kerb replacement and resurfacing works are taking place during week commencing 24/10/22, which affects patient vehicle access to the Atrium entrance and Emergency Department at GRH.

This may cause congestion around the site and you may wish to allow extra time to get to your appointments.

Atrium users (including Outpatient appointments)

• For vehicle access to the Atrium (drop-off), this means accessing the atrium via other routes; for example, the Therapies Entrance including disabled parking (access via Beacon House entrance).
• Disabled car parking is available as marked on the map.
• For pedestrian access, this means following the green path indicated on the map
• Patient transport ambulances dropping/picking up patients for outpatient appointments in the Atrium will need to use the London Road entrance at the back of the building
• Deliveries into the Atrium will use the London Road entrance

Emergency Department (ED) users

• Ambulances: normal route – unaffected by these works
• Patient drop-off for ED: sharp right as shown on map
• Pedestrians: follow signs and see the map below

From 12 September 2022

To install critical infrastructure for the Emergency Department (ED) extension, we’re bringing in a large crane that will be lifted over the front of the Atrium and placed on the roads in front of the entrance. At certain times over the next few weeks, this means that access to the ED and main atrium will be disrupted. This may cause congestion around the site and you may wish to allow extra time to get to your appointments.

There are four blocks of dates that this will be happening:

• 12 - 16 September inclusive (5 days)
• 26 - 29 September inclusive (4 days)
• 11 –13 October inclusive (3 days)
• 17 - 20 October inclusive (4 days)

Internal corridor closures (ground and first floor of the atrium)

Two corridors will be closed while the crane disruption continues as cranes will be lifting over the building. This affects the corridor on the ground floor with the large timelapse photograph and the first-floor corridor between AMU and first-floor Outpatients. Signage will be in place. Please ask one of our volunteer team for help if you are unable to find your way.

Atrium users (including Outpatient appointments)

• For vehicle access to the Atrium (drop-off), this means accessing the atrium via other routes; for example, the Therapies Entrance including disabled parking (access via Beacon House entrance). Disabled car parking is available as marked on the map.
• For pedestrian access, this means following the green path indicated on the map
• Patient transport ambulances dropping/picking up patients for outpatient appointments in the Atrium will need to use the London Road entrance at the back of the building
• Deliveries into the Atrium will use the London Road entrance

Emergency Department (ED) users

• Ambulances: normal route – unaffected by these works
• Patient drop-off for ED: sharp right as shown on map
• Pedestrians: follow signs and see the map below

From 13 December 2021: Access to Gallery Wing

Due to major building works, pedestrian access to wards in Gallery Wing at GRH is changing from 13 December. This may impact patients, visitors and colleagues from the Trust and GMS.

To enable the installation of a new steel frame; access to the sloping link corridor between Gallery ground floor and the access corridor to the Fosters restaurant, will be restricted:

• Access will only be permitted for bed transfer, hot food delivery, disabled patients and crash calls.
• Others will need to access Gallery Wing via the lift/stairs, externally through Tower Block entrance and around Gallery externally.
• For patients and visitors arriving from the Tower Car Park, please go directly to Gallery Wing as shown on the map, rather than accessing via the Tower entrance.

Restrictions will only be in place between 7.30am – 4.30pm Mon – Fri; outside of these times, access will be unrestricted.

From week commencing 1 November 2021

Main atrium entrance

• Works in this area are now complete; the drop-off points are now available once again and we have been able to provide an additional disabled parking space, making 7 in total for this area.

Tower Block entrance

• Bus stops outside the Tower entrance: please avoid drop-offs around this point as traffic is heavier or if you are dropping off or being dropped off; please observe signage as this causes issues with construction traffic and bus turning
• Disabled parking: please do not park or pull over on the double yellow lines parallel to the A&E department as this causes issues with ambulance drop-offs

From Monday 11 October 2021

The temporary bus stop on Great Western Road will return to its original position on site at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital outside the Tower Car Park from Monday 11 October .

From Friday 24 September 2021

• Main atrium entrance: from Friday 24 September, the path outside the main atrium entrance will be restricted near the drop-off points. While access will be preserved for both pedestrians and drivers, this will temporarily result in the partial loss of drop off points. These will be re-provided and once complete, there will be additional disabled car parking spaces.
• From Friday 24 September owing to the ongoing road works, the traffic lights for ambulances will stop functioning for a period of 2-3 weeks, so people are advised to take extra care when crossing these roads within the site 
• Preparation to commence work on the new ED Majors build continues

From Monday 23 August 2021

Dermatology Outpatients at GRH:

• From Monday 23 August, Dermatology Outpatients at GRH is moving from its current location in the main atrium to new purpose-built premises close to GRH at the Aspen Centre. The move will give staff and patients much improved facilities and a better environment. Patients have been individually contacted to let them know.
• At the Aspen Centre, there is limited parking for blue badge holders, so patients may choose to park at GRH and walk to their appointment following the simple map below, or use the no. 6 or 94U buses from GRH. Alternatively, you may choose to be dropped off at the Aspen Centre and picked up afterwards.
• Unauthorised parking at the Aspen Medical Centre may result in a fine

From Monday 16 August 2021

Tower Entrance:

• The existing Tower Block entrance will be closed and the new Temporary Tower block entrance will be in place from Monday 16 August. Directional signage will be in place for patients and staff.
• The Volunteer's Desk from the Tower entrance will be relocated at the Tower Lift lobby.
• The shops in the Tower corridor and the chapel remain open for staff, patients and visitors

Accessible Parking:

• The 4 Accessible (Disabled) car parking spaces outside the Tower Block will be suspended from Monday 16 August. Nearest alternative accessible parking is in front of the Multi-storey car park entrance

Some staff Car Parking spaces on the side of Gallery Wing will be temporarily lost from Monday 16 August

From Monday 26 July 2021

• From Monday 26 July, hoardings will be erected adjacent to the Tower Block and a compound established.
• Works will also commence on 26 July on reconfiguring the road network at the front of the Tower, which will require all bus stops to be relocated.
• The 99 bus stop will be on Great Western Road (opposite main entrance).

Accessible Parking

As part of our building work at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, we’re looking to make our site easier to navigate for patients with disabilities and that includes providing additional accessible parking spaces.

We already have several dedicated areas for accessible parking around our sites, which are indicated in pink here on our new map. Particularly while building work is ongoing, you may find it useful to refer to this map and choose the spaces that are closest to where you have your appointment.

If you have any questions or comments about these works, please contact ghn-tr.comms@nhs.net