New hospital building welcomes patients

The new building is named after Louisa Martindale, a pioneer in women's health

A brand new, state-of-the-art building at a Brighton hospital has welcomed patients for the first time.

Costing about £500m, the Louisa Martindale Building at the Royal Sussex County Hospital is the newest building across NHS England.

The 11-story building will accommodate 40 wards, an intensive care unit and outpatient clinics.

It stands next to the Barry Building, which opened in 1828 and is no longer "fit for purpose", according to George Finlay, the chief executive of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.

Wards in the Barry Building are cramped, cluttered and dark...

...while the spacious Louisa Martindale wards offer views over Kemp Town and the sea

Wards in the new building have five times as much space for each bed and offer patients sea views.

"Patients will have much more dignity and privacy, and staff will be able to do the right job," said Mr Finlay.

Outpatient appointments in the new building began on Monday, while wards will move over from the Barry Building later this month.

The Barry Building is nearly 200 years old with a warren of corridors

The Louisa Martindale has a modern, light atrium

The new building is named after Dr Louisa Martindale, a world-renowned gynaecologist who championed medical education for women and worked as a surgeon during both world wars.

"We've always known we're good at looking after patients, but what we really wanted was the environment in which to do it," said Peter Larsen-Disney, a consultant surgeon.

"To do it in an 1828 building where you're ducking to try and miss the ceilings is not the ideal way to look after patients," he added.

Sussex Police are currently investigating patient deaths at the Royal Sussex and the trust said it is fully cooperating with the investigation.