Kitted out with steel toe capped boots and a hard hat Justine Greening, MP for Putney, recently toured the new Queen Mary’s Hospital, Roehampton.

Justine was shown around the site by Ian Brown, Queen Mary’s Hospital Project Manager, and Alan Hargreeves, Project Manager for Catalyst, and given a sneak preview of patient areas in Wandsworth’s newest hospital. The new building will open in February 2006 and all the hospital’s existing services will be transferred.

Justine Greening, MP, said, “The new hospital is looking good. I can’t wait to see it finished. Like most residents I drive past the site daily, but actually visiting the site has given me a clear idea of how building works are progressing. The new Queen Mary’s is going to be of real benefit to local people, providing us with a well laid out hospital and minor injury unit. It will serve a variety of local needs from minor injuries to mental health, both of which are extremely important for our area.”

Ian Brown, Project Manager for the new hospital believes that Justine was very impressed at how quickly the hospital has taken shape. He said, "We were able to discuss architects’ plans and answer questions about the sale of surplus land once the PCT has vacated it. We also spoke about car parking arrangements, explained our green travel plan, aimed at both patients and staff and found out more about Justine’s work with Transport for London to strengthen public transport links and alleviate congestion on Roehampton Lane.”

The new Queen Mary’s will house 50 elderly and intermediate care beds, 20 rehabilitation beds, limb fitting and specialist rehabilitation services, a day hospital for older people, a minor injuries clinic, outpatient rapid diagnostic and treatment facilities. Located on the third floor will be 69 mental health care beds and mental health community facilities run by South West London and St George’s Mental Health Trust. Each ward and most clinical areas have windows, keeping air conditioning to a minimum and allowing the building to be naturally ventilated. The hospital has over 1,400 rooms and opens it doors to patients at the end of February 2006.

The 24,000 square metre, £55 million new hospital building is being built on the northern perimeter of the current Queen Mary’s site. Its compact design means the existing hospital can remain open throughout construction with all patient services running as usual.