Following its opening in 2015, the next phase of the Central England Rehabilitation Unit (CERU) has opened its doors to new patients.
The national centre of excellence, based at Leamington Spa, delivers patient-focused neuro- rehabilitation services to communities throughout the country, with the latest phase of works made possible after South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT) met its funding target. Completed in July, the £2.9 m scheme has provided an additional 26 beds for patients on the ground floor, taking the total to 68 beds on site. As well as additional accommodation, nurse call systems, hoist systems, en-suite facilities, and communal areas including a lounge, nurse station, and reception area, have also been delivered as part of the specialist fit-out.
Building contractor Speller Metcalfe, which built the original premises, was responsible for the specialist fit-out. Regional director, Mark Hudgeon, said: “We are absolutely delighted to hand over what is already a critical part of NHS service delivery in Warwickshire, particularly during such a pressurised time for the NHS. This has been a particularly complex project, as the existing unit remained occupied by patients and staff throughout the fit-out, as well as being turned into a vaccination centre for the local community.”
As a result of COVID disruptions, Speller Metcalfe undertook a major part of the project out of hours to work around the vaccination programme. The team also installed new air-handling units to improve ventilation throughout the building, and increase the number of air changes.
Adrian Thomas, senior Capital Projects Officer at the Trust, said: “We are delighted to be able bring the new Allsopp Ward to completion and welcome patients into the new facility. I would like to offer my thanks to the Speller Metcalfe site team for its endeavours with this complex project. The team ensured that the added complications of working within a live hospital environment was expertly managed.”
