The new wing of a St John's Wood hospital opened its doors for the first time on Monday.
It is the first phase of opening for the development at St John & St Elizabeth Hospital, and includes four orthopaedic and general operating theatres on the first floor, and a suite of private patient rooms.
The private hospital has charitable status as profits fund the on-site St John's Hospice.
Caroline Fox, the hospital’s chief executive officer, said: “The new wing has been two and a half years in the making and getting it right for our patients has been our number one priority.
“With thanks to the huge efforts of our staff, our surgeons and our design team, we have been able to create an environment which will provide the highest standards of care for our patients.
"At a time when NHS waiting lists are under huge strain caused by the pandemic, we hope our ability to increase capacity to treat patients will prove invaluable to the community of St John’s Wood and beyond.”
Later this autumn, the second phase of the new wing will see three more operating theatres open on the second floor.
Before Christmas, the ground floor will open up to become the hospital’s new imaging department and home to an expanded urgent care clinic. The clinic is twice the size of the hospital’s "casualty first" service and will have its own entrance providing instant access, seven days a week, to a wide range of treatments for minor injuries and illnesses for patients from the age of one.
A cafe will be located on the ground floor.
The new wing is the biggest extension to St John & St Elizabeth Hospital since it opened in St John’s Wood in 1899.
Ms Fox said: “While the new wing enables to us to treat more patients in superb surroundings, it will also have a positive impact on our onsite charity, St John’s Hospice, as 100% of hospital profits go to providing free care and support for over 4,500 terminally ill patients and their families every year.
"The more treatments we do in the hospital, the more we can continue to fund this incredible work.”
Visit www.hje.org.uk
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