New £5m cardio respiratory ward opens in Medway

The new £5m cardio respiratory ward has opened at Medway Maritime Hospital

A hospital in Kent has opened a £5m state-of-the-art cardio respiratory ward.

The new facility at Medway Maritime Hospital provides more than 30 beds for patients with serious breathing or heart conditions.

The project has transformed the previously vacant Ruby Ward to a purpose-built area with improved infection prevention measures.

Jayne Black, chief executive of the Medway NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is a really significant development for our hospital, which is set to benefit the community in Medway and Swale for years to come."

The ward also includes a seven-bed respiratory support unit, which provides a higher level of monitoring for the sickest patients.

One of the first patients to be treated on the ward, Gerald Nibbs, 77, from Strood, said: “My first impression is that it’s money well spent.

“This will be a fantastic addition to the hospital. The staff on the ward are brilliant and go out of their way to help with everything.

“Nothing is too much trouble – they deserve all the praise they get.’’

Gerald Nibbs was one of the first patients to be treated on the new ward

Ms Black said the ward would stand the hospital in a better position to deal with any further pandemic outbreaks.

She added: “We hope the new ward will play a role in improving our services, with the availability of more beds helping to treat patients sooner.”

The project was funded by NHS England.

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