Plans for new four-storey extension to Wigan Infirmary submitted

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) wants to expand its existing endoscopy unit at the Wigan Lane site. This would include the relocation of existing rooms in order to both improve and enhance the experience for patients, and to improve working conditions for staff.

An endoscopy is a test using a tube with a camera which is used to look inside a patient’s body.

This extension would see the north face of the Grade II listed infirmary building added to, which would be visible from the car park. The new building, if approved by Wigan Council, would incorporate an endoscopy facility, including endoscopy rooms, recovery areas, waiting room, toilets (for staff and patients), office space, consultants offices, storage and ancillary facility space and a plant room.

There is currently no designation for the upper floors of the proposed development – but it is thought this would be used for the enhancement and expansion of hospital services.

The planning statement said: “The proposed endoscopy extension at Royal Albert Edward Infirmary aims to improve and enhance user experience, through the relocation of the endoscopy rooms in order to create better working conditions.

"The scheme will result in the delivery of segregated changing rooms which are also located alongside the endoscopy facilities, which will enable the trust to gain JAG (Joint Advisory Group) accreditation.

“Obtaining JAG accreditation is a primary driver behind the proposals, alongside the need to relocate the existing endoscopy rooms to facilitate the future delivery of Phase 5, which is a further extension project to the north of the infirmary, and to improve the current public and patient flow on Level 01.”

The WWL provides healthcare to a local population of 326,000 within Wigan borough, and provides specialist services to a much wider regional, national and international catchment area.

The trust provides acute clinical services from five main sites, of which Wigan Infirmary is the main district general hospital.

Successive health authorities have faced tough challenges in extending and augmenting facilities at the hospital when it sits on a relatively small parcel of land, especially as parking is at such a premium.