First Minister Carywn Jones has officially opened Morriston Hospital’s new £60m outpatient department designed by architects, IBI Group.
The second phase of the £102million ‘Health Vision Swansea’ clinical redevelopment, it is one of the largest upgrades undertaken by Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board on the 750-bed Morriston Hospital site.
Andrew Davies, Chairman of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board said: “The new building had transformed the experience for patients, staff and visitors alike. Some of the original outpatient facilities dated back to the Second World War and were completely inadequate and inappropriate for 21st century healthcare.
“We’ve put a huge amount of effort into designing it and making it as comfortable and as accessible as possible, and we would like to thank the architects and everyone else involved in designing and delivering such a fantastic facility for our patients, staff and visitors.”
Defined by a striking single entrance, the new two-storey building houses a new renal unit, radiology, lung function, phlebotomy, dental specialities, ophthalmology, paediatrics, fracture clinic, and endoscopy suites. It also comprises state-of-the-art maxillo- facial laboratories including the South Wales cleft lip and palate service, the only one in Wales and one of nine in the UK.
The new hospital facility also includes an Integrated Education Centre offering a wide range of training facilities including lecture theatres and clinical skills laboratories to be used by staff for professional development and post-graduate students from the College of Medicine at Swansea University.
“The new outpatient department has created a true heart to the hospital,” said Studio Associate, Lindsay Gibbon. “The design is focused on user wellbeing, creating a welcoming and non-institutional environment full of light, colour and art to enrich and support the patient journey.”
The project team, including IBI Group and BAM Construction ensured the hospital was designed and constructed by local workers with local and sustainable materials, honouring the Trust’s initial ambition to give back to the community and achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.
