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Plans for a cutting-edge new children’s unit at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry are currently on hold as a review of Department of Health spending on capital projects is underway. Despite receiving planning permission for the estimated £20m project in March 2024, construction has not yet commenced at the site. The Western Trust had initially aimed to begin building last year pending departmental approval and allocation.
A planning report that supported the application previously highlighted the urgent need for a significant upgrade and modernization of the current children’s unit. The proposed new unit would be situated within the refurbished ground and first floors of the existing treatment wing at Altnagelvin Hospital. The ground floor would house the outpatients’ department with 12 consultant/exam rooms, day case facilities, and an acute paediatric assessment unit, along with staff facilities and ancillary accommodation.
The first floor of the new unit would cater to the inpatients’ department, featuring 25 single bedrooms with dedicated ensuites and an additional three-bedroom ward. Additionally, the plans include a new courtyard as an outdoor space, with input from the Altnagelvin parents’ group who provide support to parents of children with lifelong medical conditions. The architecture firm overseeing the project, TODD Architects, emphasized the importance of creating a calming environment for children and their families in the new unit.
Despite the plans for the new children’s unit being at an advanced stage, the Trust’s ability to commit funding for capital projects, including the Altnagelvin Hospital project, is contingent on the Department of Health’s allocation from the budget process. A spokesperson for the Trust mentioned that work is currently ongoing to develop a multi-year budget, with the finance minister intending to present it to the Executive for consideration and agreement in the coming months. The Department of Health declined to provide further comment on the matter when approached by BBC News NI
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