Work to start on paediatric unit at hospital

The new Craigavon centre will be located in the current Car Park 1. This first phase of works involves extending the GP out of Hours Car Park and developing additional parking spaces at Trust Headquarters.

The GP Out of Hours car park will be closed temporarily for an eight week period and there will also be additional works on the main avenue as a new layby is created for future bus use.

The new centre is part of an overall plan to modernise hospital services for children and young people across the Southern Trust

All planned paediatric surgery for the Southern area will be centralised in a new purpose designed centre on the sixth floor at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry.

Welcoming the new development, Director of Children and Young People for the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, Paul Morgan said: “We are delighted to start working on these plans which we have been developing since our public consultation ‘Changing for Children’ in 2010.

“We have a very dedicated paediatric workforce and look forward to having the highest standards of facilities to offer acute paediatric care across both of our hospitals.

“In addition to ongoing works around the hospital, this further reduction in car parking will undoubtedly cause additional pressures to the already very busy site. Whilst signage will be in place to direct traffic and the contractors will do everything they can to minimise disruption, we appeal to staff, patients and visitors to allow plenty of time when coming to the hospital for parking, perhaps considering public transport or to leave your car at home and get dropped off if at all possible.

“We apologise in advance for any temporary disruption and appreciate co-operation and patience from all of those using the site while we make these improvements to our services.”

Construction work on the new development is planned for completion in 2017.