On Tuesday 23 July 2024, a groundbreaking ceremony took place at West Middlesex University Hospital marking the commencement of building works on the new £80 million Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre (ADC), which will improve diagnostic and treatment times within the local community.
The new £80 million investment is the largest capital project that the Trust has ever run, which includes a £16.5 million capital grant from NHS England and fundraising efforts from the Trust’s official charity, CW+.
The new five-storey building will provide essential diagnostic and treatment services for cancer, renal conditions and imaging to residents within Hounslow, Richmond and Ealing. The ADC is expected to drive significant growth in activity over the first decade from its opening, with a 43% increase in elective diagnostic capacity. This expansion will translate to approximately 67,000 additional imaging scans, ensuring timely and efficient diagnostic services for patients.
In attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony was Ruth Cadbury, local Member of Parliament (MP) for Brentford and Isleworth who donned personal protective equipment (PPE) as she headed on to the construction site with Trust executives as well as the Operations Director from Bouygues UK, who have been contracted to complete the works.
The new development is designed to be an all-electric building, supporting the Trust’s commitment to sustainable development. At the event, a memorial tree was planted just in front of the site where the new building will be built, to commemorate the occasion along with a new bench made completely of recycled materials from the demolition site and plaques that will remain in the hospital.
In the main hospital atrium, informative stalls were held by partners, including the hospital’s charity CW+, which supported the event and is raising £1.5 million to fund a programme of patient enhancements in the new facility. Bouygues UK also had a stall and information was available for staff and patients about the benefits of the new ADC.
The new centre aims to reduce health inequalities in the local area, by doubling capacity for renal and cancer services, ensuring that the local community can access critical treatments sooner, and closer to home.
In cancer care, the new facility will nearly double the current capacity for chemotherapy treatments, increasing the number of chairs from 10 to 18. This enhancement will enable the hospital to deliver approximately 3,000 more cancer treatments over the next ten years, marking a 48% growth from the first year of the ADC's operation to year ten.
Renal services will also see a significant boost, with the number of dialysis chairs increasing from 12 to 24, representing a 100% increase in capacity, allowing for an additional 72 outpatients to be treated locally.
Lesley Watts, Chief Executive at the Trust said:
“Today marks a critical milestone as we break ground to officially start construction of the long-awaited ADC, representing our unwavering dedication to delivering the best possible care for our community.
“It’s about making sure that everyone has access to the treatment they need, closer to home. We’re also committed to creating a sustainable future for generation to come and this all-electric building is a big step in that direction.
“The ADC will also include a state-of-the-art education and training facility and will be an investment in enhancing the skills and knowledge of our staff while helping to recruit and retain our workforce.”
Fabienne Viala, Chair and CEO of Bouygues UK commented:
"We are thrilled to officially break ground at the site of this transformative project for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust that is set to bring essential diagnostic and treatment services right to the doorstep of the local community.
“Through our partnerships with MITSkills, the London Borough of Hounslow, and JCP Hounslow, we aim to help foster skills-development and create sustainable employment opportunities for local residents with our apprenticeship and work-experience programmes. Our goal is to leave a lasting legacy that extends beyond the completion of this vital facility."
Councillor Lily Bath, Hounslow Council's Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Health Integration said,
"Hounslow Council is delighted to be part of this groundbreaking event which marks an important milestone for the development of the Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre.
"As a close partner of West Middlesex University Hospital, everyone at Hounslow Council understands the vital importance of making sure our local communities get care as close to home as possible, and we believe that this development will transform healthcare outcomes for the local population for years to come."
Sarah McCullough, Director of Fundraising at CW+, said:
“We’re delighted that work has begun on the brand-new ADC at West Mid, which will expand the Trust facilities, improving patient care and saving lives. As part of our Thirty at Thirty fundraising appeal, we’re committed to raising £1.5 million for a programme of enhancements to create the best possible healing environment for patients within this landmark facility, and we’re calling on our friends, partners and the local community to help make this vision a reality. Please support your local hospital and be part of this exciting transformational project.”