Work to start at St. Peter’s site on 12th November 2007

Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust have been given full planning consent by Runnymede Borough Council for their new £4.89m mortuary development on the St Peter’s Hospital site in Chertsey, Surrey.  The Trust has been working with Costain under the ProCure21 programme, to achieve an agreed target cost for this development and Costain will start work on site on 12th November 2007.

The new mortuary is being built in a location more central to the main hospital buildings on the St Peter’s Hospital site and replaces facilities built in the 1940’s located on the edge of the site.  This project forms part of ongoing plans to reconfigure and reprovide healthcare services on the St Peter’s Hospital site and the new mortuary development is part of the Trust’s plans to develop and enhance the hospital services in the area.

Jean Wright, Costain’s Health Sector Director said: “I am delighted that Costain was selected to work on this project and are working with a like-minded organisation that looks to team working, value for money and partnership to achieve its goals and ambitions.”

Paul Bentley, Acting Chief Executive at Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust commented: “We have long recognised that our mortuary facilities, including the arrangements for the next of kin to see the deceased, are not as good as we would wish.   A new building, more central to the main buildings on the St. Peter’s Hospital site, will enable us to provide a better service for those who have suffered a death and be good for staff for whom we need to improve working conditions.  This decision demonstrates our commitment to invest for the future and develop modern facilities for people who live and work in and visit Surrey.”

Costain’s principal supply chain partners for this project are Todd Architects, SES and White Young Green.

Speaking about the development, pathologist Dr Michael Hall said: “It is good to hear that the daily trek for staff from the main buildings at St. Peter’s to the mortuary facilities on the edge of the site is nearing an end.   New facilities will also improve the service for relatives who will not have to travel to the far side of the site at what is a very difficult time for them.  It will also mean that we can maintain our Clinical Pathology Accreditation standards and continue to provide post mortem services for the local coroner.”