Landmark daycase surgery unit approved for Yeovil Hospital 28 July 2017

South Somerset District Council has unanimously approved the planning application for an innovative Day Surgery Unit (DSU) at Yeovil Hospital.

As a strategic estates partner to Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Prime’s development expertise has been key to the design and development of the plans. Together with its joint venture partner Interserve it is supporting Yeovil Hospital to deliver this landmark project which will establish a new, more efficient model of day surgery.

The new DSU will be operated by Daycase UK Ltd, a joint venture between YDH and Ambulatory Surgery International, to provide a range of daycase procedures in specialisms such as Urology, Ear Nose and Throat, Oral Maxillo-Facial and Dental, Plastics, Dermatology, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology and Cardiology.

Interserve Prime (IP) has been working with Yeovil Hospital on a strategic masterplan which is helping the Trust to meet the increasing demand on its services whilst improving staff and patient experience. Together the Strategic Estate Partnership (SEP) has already completed works on the development of an emergency assessment unit, a special care baby unit and a purpose built multi-storey car park. IP has now used its expertise to support the Trust through the planning process for the DSU, developing plans which will see day case surgery services moved out of the main hospital into a dedicated purpose built facility. A first of its kind for the UK, the DSU features intelligent design which improves patient flow from arrival, through procedure and on to discharge by implementation of the standalone systematised surgery model broadly adopted in the United States. This model is proven to drive efficiency, offer high quality care and improve staff and patient experience.

Ben Gwilliam, Senior Development Manager at Prime said “We’re proud to be working on such an innovative development which will aid the Trust in meeting the increasing demand on its services and free-up valuable space within the main hospital building. The council’s approval of these plans is the first step to delivering an innovative facility which improves staff and patient experience through cutting edge design and a progressive model of care.”

The DSU is the first project to be progressed via the Private Investment Construction (PIC) Framework and is expected to start onsite early 2018.