Evelina London children’s hospital submits expansion plans creating 120 more beds

Plans to increase the capacity of a specialist children’s hospital in London have been submitted.

Hospital chiefs want to add an extra 120 beds at Evelina London, including 20 critical care beds, and 14 operating theatres to cope with the increase in demand.

Lambeth council is being asked to approve a 12-storey building, with a further two basement floors, that would link to the existing Evelina hospital building, which opened in 2005 and is linked to St Thomas’ hospital in Lambeth.

Two smaller buildings on the triangular site beside the Thames would have to be demolished. The plans, which will take around six years to deliver, have been submitted by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and its development partner Linkcity.

The aim is to cut waiting times and bring together more services in one place. Paediatric services currently provided by the Royal Brompton, a specialist heart and lung hospital in Chelsea, are due to be transferred to the Evelina in five or six years.

Marian Ridley, director of Evelina London, said: “Our expansion is vital to meet the growing demand for our specialist care. A bigger hospital will mean we can meet the needs of the sickest children with the most complex conditions from across the country.”

Construction of a new day surgery centre, next to the existing hospital building, is already under way. The total redevelopment is likely to cost in excess of £400 million.

It came as Kensington and Chelsea council moved to safeguard the Brompton site by issuing restrictions on its future use. Developers will be required to prove their plans enhance healthcare.

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