Southampton Hospitals Charity launches children's ward appeal

The "dark and outdated" ward at Southampton Children's Hospital was built in the 1970s

A hospital charity is launching one of its biggest ever appeals in an effort to raise £1.64m towards refurbishing a children's trauma unit.

Southampton Hospitals Charity wants to help improve the "dark and outdated" ward at Southampton Children's Hospital, which was built in the 1970s.

The unit is one of only two trauma units in the south of England.

The work will cost about £3.5m, with the University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust funding the difference.

Specialist doctors and nurses currently treat about 1,200 children at the unit every year, including those with major trauma, broken bones, spinal surgery, cerebral palsy, and in need of limb corrections.

Charity director Ellis Banfield said: "With thousands of children needing specialist care in our trauma and orthopaedic ward at the children's hospital, some of the areas now need to be updated.

"With the help from our local community, Southampton Hospitals Charity aims to raise vital funds to refurbish the ward to give our patients, their families and our staff an environment that matches the world class care provided."

She called it their "most ambitious fundraising appeal" and the unit a "truly special place", but that currently the environment did not "mirror this world class care".

Specialist doctors and nurses treat about 1,200 children at the unit every year

The revamped unit will have a new ventilation system, an upgrade to its electrical infrastructure, state-of-the-art medical hoists, and hygienic wall cladding and flooring.

It will also have six en-suite bathrooms, larger patient bays, and pull-down carer beds enabling parents to have comfortable overnight stays with their children.

There will be a new parents room as well, where they can rest, or meet and chat with other parents, plus a purpose-built rehabilitation room for patients.

Freya Pearson, deputy chief medical officer at University Hospital Southampton, said the renovation would "improve the environment for our young patients, their families, and staff".

The unit has has been stripped back to its shell and building work is under way. It is expected to be completed by December.

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