Hospital charity launches £1.64 million fundraising campaign for refurbishment of children’s trauma unit

Southampton Hospitals Charity have launched a £1.64m fundraising campaign to refurbish the children’s trauma unit at Southampton Children’s Hospital.

Building work is already under way on the trauma and orthopaedic ward – known as G3 – which is one of only two trauma units in the South of England.

The service treats around 1200 children every year and is led by a team of specialist doctors and nurses who see patients for a range of conditions and injuries including major trauma, broken bones, spinal surgery and musculoskeletal infection and disorders.

They also see children who require life-changing surgery – such as limb corrections - as well as caring for patients with cerebral palsy and neuromuscular disorders.

Working in partnership with University Hospital Southampton NHS (UHS), the total cost of the build falls just short of £3.5 million. Southampton Hospital’s Charity have pledged to raise £1.64 million – making it one of their biggest appeals to date – with the Trust funding the remaining cost.

Originally built in the 1970’s, the dark and outdated ward has been stripped back to its shell and will be transformed to a modern world-class facility.

The unit will benefit from a new ventilation system, an upgrade to all of its essential services such as medical gases, nurse call systems, electrical infrastructure, fire alarm, hygienic wall cladding and flooring.

In addition to the new infrastructure the unit will house six en-suite bathrooms, larger patient bays and pull-down carer beds, allowing parents to have a comfortable overnight stay next to their child.

Parents will enjoy access to a new parent’s room, providing a space for them to relax, meet and chat with other parents and rest.

Each bay will also be fitted with state-of-the-art medical hoists, including three specialist training hoists to allow for increased movement and patient rehabilitation whilst also allowing the clinical teams to move patients more independently and safely.  

A purpose-built rehabilitation room is also included in the refurbishment, which will be a first for the unit as previously these patients had to use shared space for this treatment.

Ellis Banfield, Southampton Hospitals Charity director, said: “With thousands of children needing specialist care in our trauma and orthopaedic ward at the children’s hospital, some of the areas now need to be updated.

“With the help from our local community, Southampton Hospitals Charity aims to raise vital funds to refurbish the ward to give our patients, their families and our staff an environment that matches the world class care provided.

“This is the charity’s most ambitious fundraising appeal, and we know it will make an enormous difference. The ward is a truly special place, but we know the environment does not mirror this world class care, but with your support, it can.”

Freya Pearson, deputy chief medical officer at UHS, said: “The renovation of this unit will not only improve the environment for our young patients, their families, and staff, but it will also enable us to continue to deliver our world-class care and provide the best possible outcomes for the patients of Southampton Children’s Hospital.

“This is an exciting project for the Trust, and I would like to thank our charity partners for helping to fund this fantastic new facility.”

The works are being carried out by the Trust Capital Projects team at University Hospital Southampton along with the appointed main contractor LST Projects Ltd. and is expected to be completed by December 2023.