WITH the roof complete and the external wall cladding in place, the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust celebrated the “topping out” of the new Outpatient Department at West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance.

Construction of the £9-million project began in January this year and will take 15 months to complete. Once the fit out and equipment commissioning is complete, the modern, fit-for-purpose building will open to patients in May 2025.

The new building will provide technically-advanced facilities in which staff will be able to provide face-to-face and virtual care in an accessible and patient-focused environment. It is also the first major capital project across RCHT’s sites to have solar panels installed to generate sustainable energy to support the unit.

The investment in the Outpatients Department reflects the key role West Cornwall Hospital plays in the provision of acute hospital care in Cornwall and the Royal Cornwall Hospitals’ commitment to delivering more care close to home.

Paul Sylvester, General Manager for RCHT’s West Cornwall Hospital said: “This is a significant moment in the construction of the new Outpatient Department. Now that the external works are close to completion, we can look forward to the internal works getting underway and seeing the clinical space really start to take shape. This is a fantastic investment for West Cornwall Hospital, and we are excited to give our staff and patients in our local community an environment that will match our outstanding care.”

Chris Couch, Area Manager, Kier Construction said: “We are delighted to have reached this stage in the project and the construction is progressing well. The collaboration across our teams and local supply chain is exceptional and together we will be providing a facility that will benefit the local community for many years to come.”

Councillors Bonnie Jackson, Jim McKenna, Penny Young and Town Clerk James Hardy from Penzance Council were given a first look inside the new Outpatient Department.

Councillor Jim McKenna said: “The new Outpatient building at West Cornwall Hospital is progressing really well – to time and budget. When it opens in May 2025 it will enable many more people based in West Cornwall to be treated in Penzance rather than have to travel to Truro. I am certain this investment will help secure the future of West Cornwall Hospital and I would like to thank all those involved for engaging so effectively with residents living in the vicinity.”

For councillor Bonnie Jackson, it was a particularly encouraging visit, as she worked at the hospital as a Senior Nurse some years ago.

She said: “I used to be a Senior Nurse here at West Cornwall Hospital, and prior to that, I was Sister on one of the wards. I’ve looked around the building today – it’s very hard to imagine a building when it’s just a building site, but it is, and will be, I think, a very positive move for Penzance. When I worked here there was always discussion about moving so many of our facilities to St Michael’s Hospital in Hayle, and to me, that would have been awful. So, this is important, and I look forward to seeing the finished product!”