NHS asked to approve new A&E in Bristol city centre

Health bosses have said the current A&E is not fit for purpose

The NHS is being asked to approve a new emergency department in a city centre.

Local hospital bosses want to replace the current A&E at the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) with a new purpose-built facility at nearby Marlborough Hill.

They said its current location "is not in any way fit for the delivery of modern medicine".

The development could cost up to £200m and is planned to be completed in 2029.

The strategic outline case for the Marlborough Hill A&E is going to NHS England in January after local hospital bosses approved the plan in December.

The University Hospitals Bristol and Weston (UHBW) NHS Foundation Trust believes a new purpose-built medical centre on the Marlborough Hill site would allow it to better locate services next to each other.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the site, which is at the edge of the hospital complex, currently contains the pharmacy, staff residences, a multi-story car park, and the trust's headquarters.

The Marlborough Hill site contains the trust's HQ and staff flats

Paula Clarke, executive managing director at UHBW, said the current A&E is challenged in both its location and condition.

She said: "We have had six independent visits to our adult emergency department in the last 18 months, whether that be from NHS England, from the military, or indeed from the national director.

"All of which recognise that our estate and our location is not in any way fit for modern delivery of modern medicine."

She added that moving the adult emergency department out of its current location would allow for children's services to be expanded.

Chief medical officer Stuart Walker said there were issues with the current layout of the site.

'Not sustainable'

"We have absolutely fantastic staff on our front door and I cannot reiterate how well they do to provide the highest possible quality of care in a very constrained estate environment," he said.

"But it's not sustainable to continue pushing that indefinitely," he added.

Should NHS England give approval, the plan will then need to be approved by the Treasury, before construction can begin in April 2026.