A&E redevelopment begins at Whipps Cross Hospital
Posted on:
FAO: Redbridge and Waltham Forest
Message from : Amanjit Jhund, Chief Executive Officer of Whipps Cross Hospital, shares an important update on developments – including the expansion of the Emergency Care Department.
| I’m writing to share an important update on developments at Whipps Cross Hospital as we continue to improve the care we provide to our communities in Waltham Forest and across north east London. We are currently delivering a £23 million programme of improvements to make our hospital safer, more modern, and better equipped to meet the needs of patients, visitors, and staff. This investment will significantly enhance our Emergency Department, alongside upgrades to maternity, postnatal, and inpatient wards. Work has now started on the redevelopment of our A&E department. The new layout will support faster, safer care for all patients, and the project is expected to complete by March 2026. While construction is underway, most services will continue to operate as normal, with only minor temporary changes to patient pathways. We are doing everything we can to limit disruption and will keep patients and visitors informed of any significant changes as they arise. As part of this work, we are expanding and improving key areas of the Emergency Department. In August 2025, we relocated the Urgent Treatment Centre back to the hospital’s emergency entrance, providing more integrated care. At the same time, we opened a new Initial Assessment Majors area, temporarily housing the emergency assessment area, and a Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) facility, both designed to support timely treatment and reduce unnecessary admissions. Later in 2025, we will open a new Paediatric Clinical Decision Unit alongside our recently opened Paediatric Emergency Department. This will build on the £4 million refurbishment of the Acorn children’s ward completed earlier this year. A new resuscitation area is due to be operational by December 2025, and in early 2026, a new permanent Emergency Assessment Unit will open to further support safe patient flow and ambulance handovers. Beyond emergency care, we are also modernising our maternity and postnatal services to provide a more comfortable and private environment for families. This includes more single rooms and improved ventilation. |
| Across our inpatient wards, over 250 bed spaces will benefit from new air conditioning by the end of this year. We are also creating additional single-patient rooms to support better rest, privacy, and recovery. We do want to make you aware that, for safety reasons, Bridge Road will be closed while construction is underway. Clear signage and alternative routes will be in place, and we are encouraging all visitors to plan their journeys in advance. These local improvements are part of a wider transformation across Barts Health. We are proud to have recently launched With You for Every Moment, our new five-year strategy setting out how we will provide seamless, innovative, and equitable care across all our hospitals. This ambitious plan reflects our commitment to prevention, digital innovation, and expanding care closer to home. Developed with input from our patients, staff, and communities, the strategy outlines how we will lead innovation, tackle health inequalities, and deliver consistently excellent care. As we implement this plan, our priorities include establishing centres of excellence, improving support for families during pregnancy and birth, delivering better care for children, and helping people manage long-term conditions more effectively. Above all, our goal is to build a healthier and more equitable future for everyone in east London. If you would like to visit or have any questions about the strategy or our ongoing improvements, please do get in touch. Thank you, as always, for your continued support. Yours sincerely, Dr Amanjit Jhund, Chief Executive, Whipps Cross Hospital |