LST were appointed to provide a multi-disciplinary service in the refurbishment and development of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Southampton General Hospital.
The aim of this project was to create additional in-patient accommodation that would be incorporated into the adjacent Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.
The project comprised of completely stripping out an existing area of the Nuclear Medicine department, new walls, equipment and finishes as well as mechanical and electrical works.
It was a beneficial addition to have Shaun Tuffin as contracts manager for this project, with his family awareness of PICU - his daughter was born with a serious heart defect and was treated at PICU. Needless to say, Shaun was thrilled at the opportunity to be involved in the project – having an understanding of the needs of the unit and the important, life saving work that they do.
After completing strip out of an existing area in the Nuclear Medicine department, we installed new walls, equipment, finishes and mechanical and electrical works.
Having Shaun on board was a great benefit, however, from the outset, high levels of engagement with key medical and clinical staff were essential to enable our team to understand how the space was to be used and the specialist requirements of the PICU staff. The complexity of the project involved working alongside a working intensive care unit and ensuring that strict infection controls were adhered to, as well as being respective of quiet times, keeping the noise levels to a minimum and constant updates for the staff at PICU.
This development would not have been possible without the vital fundraising that Friends of PICU provide. The charity, set up in 2006 by parents, like Shaun, whose children have had vital care and treatment from the PICU. Friends of PICU were able to fund this refurbishment to create new bed spaces to provide much needed treatment for more children, in addition to providing the dedicated PICU specialist ambulances and other much needed equipment.
For more information on Friends of PICU click here
Images courtesy of PICU
