At the end of April, the West London NHS Trust took possession of the new Broadmoor Hospital from Kier PLC and have now begun the crucial work of commissioning the site and training the staff on all of its new features. Last Friday, the local MP, Dr Phillip Lee, together with two senior representatives from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office were shown around the site to inspect the progress that was being made.
The facility, which is due to receive its first patients before the end of the year, differs greatly from its old Victorian predecessor, with extensive use of natural light to provide a more open feel. This is complemented by bright decoration of the walls, the colours for which have often been chosen by the patients themselves, whilst all the wards are now all named after London Underground lines. However, whilst the systems are state-of-the-art, the hospital is keeping to tried and trusted technology.
Carolyn Regan, the NHS Trust’s Chief Executive said, “We were really pleased to welcome Phillip Lee, along with the Police and Crime Commissioner and his Deputy, to our new Broadmoor Hospital. Dr Lee has always been a staunch supporter of the hospital and has visited many times in the past. As we ramp up our preparations for staff and patients to move in, it was good to show all of them how the new buildings will provide a much more modern and therapeutic environment for patients.
Dr Lee was also impressed with the new facilities, stating “Having taken a keen interest in Broadmoor and its redevelopment since the project began, I’m very pleased with the end result. Although I’ve visited the construction site a number of times, I still found the completed facility extremely impressive, and I can see how patients, carers and staff will benefit greatly from the environment in the new hospital. I’ve always been immensely proud of having Broadmoor Hospital in my constituency, and feel even more so, after seeing all the improvements at first hand.”
Speaking for the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Deputy PCC Matthew Barber added, “The new facilities at Broadmoor are a huge step forward. Dealing with the secure hospitals such as Broadmoor as well as the many prisons in Thames Valley presents a challenge for the police. It was a good opportunity to discuss the issues of crime within the hospital and to ensure we strike the right balance to protect staff, patients and the public.”
