Ipswich: £5 Million Investment For Hospital

8 March 2012, 15:40

The Government has announced that the Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust will get £5 million for a new Sterilisation Services Department to improve services for NHS patients in east Suffolk.

This means that the hospital can build a state of the art new unit.

A hospital sterilisation service makes sure that safe and clean instruments and medical devices are available to all the surgeons and clinicians when performing operations and procedures on patients.

This new funding now means that the plan can be completed by March 2013 and maintains the service on-site in the heart of the hospital.

The Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust is one of the many hospitals across England to receive funding for new operating theatres, A&E departments and other services as well as new scanners and ultrasound equipment as part of the overall £330 million allocation for England.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: 

"I want NHS patients across east Suffolk to get the best care and treatment.

We have saved money in central capital budgets this year which means we can spend more money on improving NHS facilities. This will mean that more patients in Suffolk will benefit from the latest world class equipment."

Peter Donaldson, Medical Director of The Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust said: "We are very pleased to have been awarded this funding. The sterilisation services department is a great example of an essential clinical "back office" service which supports the frontline.

Hospital surgeons and clinicians feel very strongly that on-site sterilisation is by far the safest option allowing the clinicians  to put patient safety at the centre of everything we do".

Tony Ramsey, chair of The Ipswich Hospital User Groups (IHUG) said: "We are delighted with this major investment in the hospital. Today's announcement comes hot on the heels of news of funding for the £5 million development for a cardiac centre. 

The £10 million investment by the Department of Health is tremendous news for the community we serve and all who work within the hospital".