Queen Alexandra Hospital: Topping ceremony marks major milestone for new A&E department

Staff from Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU) and contractors involved in the project have come together to mark the topping out of the new Emergency Department (ED) at Queen Alexandra Hospital. The department is due to open later this year, ahead of winter. 

Construction on the Emergency Department began in March 2023 and once complete the new department will help tackle long standing challenges that patients currently face using the existing emergency building. The project is supported by £58m of national funding and it will provide a range of improved facilities for adults and children using the department including additional resus capacity and faster access to diagnostics.

Dr Pete Russell, Clinical Director of the Emergency Department at PHU, said, “Our Emergency Department first opened in 1979 and since then we have seen the levels of demand for urgent and emergency care grow significantly. All our teams are incredibly excited about the opportunities this new department will bring by providing high-quality facilities and care space that our patients deserve. 

“We know that no one wants to have to use an Emergency Department, so want to ensure we have the right plans in place internally and with other NHS and social care partners, to provide the best possible experience to those who need us.”

The project is a joint venture between VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine, who are supporting the delivery of the project. Taking part in the topping out ceremony, which is to celebrate completing the overall structure of a building, Penny Emerit, chief executive at PHU, Mark Orchard, chief financial officer at PHU, and Jason Griffiths, regional director at VINCI Building printed their hands in wet cement.

Penny Emerit, Chief Executive at PHU, said, “It’s fantastic to see such great progress with the development of our new Emergency Department and walking around the site you can already tell it will have such a positive impact on the experience of people who use and work within the department.

“This facility has been years in the making and it’s because of the hard work of our teams, communities, and supporters that it will become a reality. We’ve still got a way to go, but it’s great to see how quickly the building is coming together, so a big thank you to everyone involved.”

For more information about the project, click here.