Government funding approved for new Emergency Care Building

The southwest’s major trauma centre and acute specialist hospital at Derriford will benefit from a new, state-of-the-art Emergency Care Building after the Department of Health and Social Care rubber-stamped funding for the project.  

Stuart Windsor, Future Hospital Director, said 

“Since the announcement in January about support for our Emergency Care Building project, we have worked at pace to finish and submit the final business case for this much needed facility.

“We are thrilled that the government has confirmed support for the full funding required to deliver the project, which will make a huge difference to the people of Plymouth and the wider southwest peninsula. Construction has already started and the new building will open in 2028, followed by the creation of a new children’s emergency facility.”

In a letter to local NHS leaders, Health Minister Karin Smyth confirmed funding is available for schemes in the first wave of the New Hospital Programme, and now patients in Plymouth will benefit from a new integrated Emergency Care Building, including dedicated areas for children and frail patients.

Charlotte Taylor of the New Hospital Programme said: 

“This marks a significant milestone for Derriford Hospital and the community it serves. It provides the financial certainty to move ahead with confidence and we will continue working closely with the Trust to deliver a modern hospital that meets the needs of patients and staff for decades to come.” 

The new Emergency Care Building will span four floors and provide a step change in terms of clinical accommodation. The ground floor will provide space for the sickest patients to be treated and include a full range of diagnostic imaging which is twice the capacity of the current facility.

The second floor will be dedicated to Same Day Emergency Care; where same day urgent hospital treatment is needed, but ongoing care is provided in the community. There will be a short stay area, and facilities for the most frail patients.

The building will provide four new state-of-the art theatres for diagnosis and treatment guided by modern imaging techniques on the third floor. In addition, five new theatres will be installed on the fourth floor for emergency and planned surgery.

Demolition of existing buildings on site are nearing completion, and the principal construction partner will move onto site at the beginning of June 2025.