A key part of Northern Ireland’s healthcare strategy is to centralise the most complex cases at a single location - the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH). Central to achieving this vision is the new 25,000 square metre Critical Care Centre. The Centre provides a state-of-the-art healthcare facility for the treatment of up to 80,000 patients a year.
The Royal Victoria Hospital occupies a large, congested site in the west of Belfast. The trauma centre is located right at the heart of the hospital and forms part of the latest phase of the hospital's redevelopment.
The 12-storey building is home to a new accident and emergency department, four operating theatres including two ultra-clean theatres, a 32-bed regional Intensive Care Unit including eight specialised source protection isolation rooms, a 50-bed maternity post-natal ward and maternity out-patients accommodation. It is also the first hospital in Northern Ireland to include a roof top helipad which significantly reduces the amount of time it takes to get critically ill trauma patients to the hospital for emergency treatment.
The critical care floors feature a naturally ventilated glass corridor which surrounds the perimeter of the building to act as a thermal buffer and guide visitors into the ward.
The project incorporates photovoltaic panels, natural stack ventilation, solar water panels, grey water harvesting and ground source cooling water utilising an on-site borehole. The highly modern building features an extensively glazed façade contrasted with black ceramic tiling reflecting the internal high tech accommodation.
This new Centre will support the improvement of trauma patient care across Northern Ireland for decades to come.
Client
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Services
- Lead consultant
- Architecture
- Civil engineering
- Structural engineering
- CDM coordinator
- Planning consultant
- Contract administrator
