Further delay to opening of Guernsey's specialist care units

Friday, 27 June 2025 11:15

Completing remedial building work on the Critical Care and Post Anaesthetic Units at the PEH is over running by around nine months.

Health and Social Care had hoped to open the units in the autumn of 2024, but this was pushed back to the spring of this year.

Now it is announcing a further delay, again due to remedial building work needing to be completed by Rihoy and Son.

"These have taken longer than anticipated but we are continuing to work with the contractor to get this resolved."

Rihoy's have said previously that it is a challenging project to deliver because construction is taking place in a functioning hospital.

The Critical Care Unit will expand the capacity to look after seriously unwell patients in Guernsey from seven to 12 beds. Each has a separate room.

The new Post Theatre Recovery Unit has ten beds and can accept patients if all 12 of the new CCU beds are full.

HSC says not being able to open the units is frustrating:

“We know this will be disappointing news for the community as a whole and we are extremely disappointed too.

"This delay, although frustrating, does not present a clinical risk as we continue to have a fully functioning and safe Post Anaesthetic Care Unit and Critical Care Unit in the current PEH."

“It is important to remember that the Critical Care Unit cares for our most vulnerable patients and it is vital that we get this right for them and for our staff, given the benefits that the new units will bring. That continues to be our sole focus.”

The creation of the two new units is part of Phase 1 of the Princess Elizabeth Hospital modernisation.

Phase 2 awaits funding and may be delivered in several stages. The original plans went some £30M over budget.