Barton Knight Contracting has completed the electrical works for the the first phase of a significant refurbishment and extension of Kingston Hospital’s Bernard Meade Wing, which houses the Royal Eye Unit (REU).
Working with services consultant Bianco Sale, Barton Knight was nominated by its long-term principal contractor partner, Storm Building Ltd, for a refurbishment and new build extension of the ophthalmology department for Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey. The previous footprint was reconfigured, the orthoptic unit was refurbished, and an extension added on the ground floor. Part of a 3-storey build, the new building includes Paediatric Oncology (the ‘Sunshine Ward’) on the 2nd storey, with plant space on the top floor.
Electrical works for Phase 1 of the project (completed between June and December 2023) comprised new switchgear, new metering, bedhead trunking, a nurse call system, new lighting and power supplies, plus containment. An extension to the fire alarm was included as well as data cabling and air conditioning units. Phase 2 of the project is already under-way and focuses on a smaller area within the new build, but is confined to the ground floor/Level 2, comprising consultation rooms and vision lanes. The combined electrical works value is approximately £700,000.
The ophthalmic extension now houses a dedicated medical retina unit to support increasing numbers of older patients with Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and several additional consulting rooms. Two of these are injection rooms, doubling the existing capacity[i]. The self-contained facility also includes a dedicated waiting area, vision lanes, and additional scanning facilities.
According to Kingston Hospital, the development should increase overall capacity by ‘approximately 25%’, helping manage ‘increasing demand from an ageing population’, reducing waiting times, and improving the patient experience[ii]. The new ophthalmic department has a dementia-friendly designa nd has better amenities for children, including a new play area – particularly important as Paediatric Oncology is now housed on the floor above.
The Royal Eye Unit offers a comprehensive eye care service (including ophthalmic emergencies and trauma care) to Kingston, Richmond, Elmbridge, Merton, Wandsworth, and Sutton.
Originally built nearly 30 years ago, it no longer met the requirements of the local population, but the new facility should deliver significant clinical efficiencies for new and follow-up patients[iii].
Click here to hear more on the Royal Eye Unit from Hooman Sherafat, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and Clinical Lead at Kingston Hospital.
[i] https://www.khc.org.uk/delivering-outstanding-care-expanding-the-royal-eye-unit-and-creating-a-paediatric-oncology-day-care-unit/
[ii] https://www.khc.org.uk/delivering-outstanding-care-expanding-the-royal-eye-unit-and-creating-a-paediatric-oncology-day-care-unit/
[iii] Extending the Royal Eye Unit to create a dedicated medical retina unit – Kingston Hospital Charity (khc.org.uk)
