Endoscopy Unit Phase 2, Kidderminster Hospital

In the second phase of the proposed new Endoscopy Unit at Kidderminster Hospital, the department provided additional much-needed clinical spaces for the busy diagnostics team.

To complete the department, PHd created two more treatment rooms, four additional patient pods, a new discharge lounge, and an additional clean scope room to complement the expanded area.

The unique Patient Pod strategy, a testament to our patient-centric approach, developed as part of Phase 1 was expanded into Phase 2. This ensures that our patients experience continuity, returning to the same room after their procedure rather than requiring separate clinical prep, processing and changing facilities, thereby enhancing their comfort and care.

Due to the nature of refurbishing existing historical hospital blocks, space is always a challenge, so the non-standard Pod affords the clinical team as much flexibility out of the area as possible.

As with all refurbishment schemes, space is the challenge on a scheme such as this, with the clinical team wanting the most flexibility out of the area as possible. Priority was given to clinical space, with the continued use of the Patient Pods developed as part of phase one, allowing a patient to experience the continuity of returning to the same room after their procedure, rather than requiring separate patient changing facilities.

This means rooms are occupied for longer, but equally allows continuity of care, with staff managing the lists to suit the total number of rooms available. Storage (or lack of) is always the reluctant compromise in this situation, eased by the creation of dedicated store rooms which could be used flexibly through the control of consumables as part of the overall management.