Hospital opens first level of £14m 100-bed block

The first floor of a £14m ward block at Norfolk’s largest hospital has been opened, with its first patients expected to begin receiving treatment this autumn.

The Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk Lady Dannatt MBE visited the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) to open level one of the 100-bed block.

The first level contains 34 assessment beds for emergency patients and the new acute medical unit.

Sam Higginson, NNUH chief executive, said: “This is a fantastic development, enabling us to treat extremely sick patients – which will be vital as part of our response to any expected second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

It comes a year since building works began, with the remaining two floors set to house the 33-bed stroke unit and 25-bed high dependency unit for the hospital’s sickest patients.

David White, NNUH chairman, said: “This development will allow NNUH to treat the very sickest of patients today and well into the future.”