HRH the Princess Royal officially opens Forest of Dean Community Hospital
Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal has performed the official opening of the Forest of Dean Community Hospital.
The building, which has been operational since May, provides inpatient beds, a Minor Injury and Illness Unit, an outpatient department and more, including space for community teams supporting people across the district.
The opening is the culmination of more than a decade of consultation and planning, to provide a purpose built, modern facility to replace the two former Forest hospitals and meet the needs of the local community now and in the future.
Trust chief executive Douglas Blair said: “We were delighted when The Princess Royal accepted our invitation to perform the official opening and visit our new hospital. The event also served as a thank you to all the colleagues – both current and former – who have been involved in bringing the new hospital to fruition and providing the first class facilities we now have, which mean we are better able to support the people we care for both now and for decades to come.”
Speller Metcalfe was brought on as main contractor during early design phase, and was responsible for delivering the scheme which was procured through the Gloucestershire County Council’s Major Construction Works Framework.
The project not only provides a fantastic new facility for Forest of Dean residents, but delivered over £6 million worth of social value impact on the local community. This included high employment from the Forest and wider-Gloucestershire area, an a huge number of engagement initiatives with schools, residents and staff, including the celebration of NHS75.
The hospital is seen as a flagship project for NHS schemes that aspire to a net zero future – an all-electric design solution with a sustainable focus that encapsulates the patient experience within the building, as well as the building itself. This includes the biophilic design of patient rooms, to increase patient connectivity to nature, as part of the Trust’s holistic approach to healing and care.
“The Forest of Dean Community Hospital is one of those project’s that has not only made an immediate, positive impact on the local community, but on the project team ourselves,” said Adrian Speller, technical director at Speller Metcalfe. “It has taken a great deal of care, attention and collaboration from across the team to get this scheme open for patients, and the response has been wholly positive. To have HRH the Princess Royal recognise the importance of this facility by opening the hospital is the icing on the cake.”
