MAJOR surgery has taken place on one of the most used parts of Felixstowe General hospital.The entrance to the Accident and Emergency Department in Constable Road has had its very own face-lift and makeover in a bid to improve facilities.

By Richard Cornwell

MAJOR surgery has taken place on one of the most used parts of Felixstowe General hospital.

The entrance to the Accident and Emergency Department in Constable Road has had its very own face-lift and makeover in a bid to improve facilities.

Treatment and day to day work was able to continue in the A&E department while construction work took place, and doctors continued seeing patients, with all clinical rooms in operation.

The reception room was the only area affected and had to be re-located to another part of the hospital with staff having to use a different entrance.

A spokeswoman for the hospital, said: "Thankfully neither patient care nor patient numbers seem to have been affected by the building work.

"The work has gone smoothly and we have had no complaints from patients.

"We are hoping that we will be able to utilise the building by the middle of next week."

It is hoped that the new improved entrance will make it more accessible for wheelchair access and for people with disabilities.

The door to the old entrance was particularly heavy and the hospital found that wheelchair users and people with disabilities found it very difficult to operate.

Work to upgrade and improve facilities to the entrance of the A&E department and reception area of the hospital began at the beginning of January.

The upgrade was estimated to take six to eight weeks and the hospital is confident that work will be completed on schedule.