NNUH investing £1.5 million in new operating theatre

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is expanding its main theatre complex with the commissioning of a new £1.5 million hi-tech laminar flow operating theatre.

Building work is due to start in mid-June on construction of a 17th operating theatre in the university hospital's main theatre complex. The additional theatre will be a laminar flow theatre and will be the hospital's seventh such theatre. The expansion means the Trust will have a total of 29 operating theatres, 27 at NNUH, and two at Cromer.

Laminar flow involves ultraclean ventilation to reduce the number of organisms present in the air. A continuous flow of highly filtered air is recirculated under positive pressure into the operating theatre and air contaminants generated during surgery are removed.

The investment is being made to increase operating theatre capacity at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and the £1.5million works (the cost includes construction and equipment) on the operating theatre is expected to be complete in October.

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has a total of 267 medical and surgical consultants. The Healthcare Commission 2007 in-patient survey reported that NNUH patients' rate the quality of care as the highest in the country compared to any other multi-speciality hospital nationally.