Lincoln IPU Refurbishment and Re-opening Update

Headlines
• The demolition has been completed and the building has been cleared
• The site is ready for its first fix electrics, and mechanical services.
• We are working with an Architect to design the décor and choose the furniture
• The clinical staff are working in the community, supporting the Hospital and other Lincolnshire Hospice services.
• The re-opening of the Inpatient Unit is on track, for November 2022 ​​​​​​​

An update from Nicky Ingall, Head of Estates and Facilities 

“The IPU refurbishment work is making great progress, with the demolition work over and the contractors starting the ‘first fix’ of the electrics. With the Inpatient Unit being 150 years old, we expected that we may uncover further work that was needed. However, we have been fortunate not to find any surprises and managed to maintain the schedule to date.

The majority of the work undertaken has been structural, so far.  This week I have been working closely with the Interior Designer and Marketing department to formulate a design

for the interiors and a review of all our signage. We want to make sure the building is as welcoming as possible, bringing elements of the outdoors in and to keep the colour pallets neutral. Much like our recent work at Novak House, St Barnabas Wellbeing Centre in Boston. I look forward to the facility reopening to staff and patients in November.”

A message from Carina Bristow, Specialty Doctor in Palliative Medicine

“I have found the redeployment from our Inpatient Unit has been a very positive experience so far! Having started work in Lincolnshire in 2016 it was clear to me that I had a very limited working knowledge of the community palliative teams and how they work with other organisations in the county to deliver cohesive palliative care.

Although this definitely increased over my time working in the Inpatient Unit, being out in the community has given me a much better understanding of how everything fits and opened my eyes to some of the issues that the community teams can face. This will help when I give advice to the community teams in the future as I will be able to signpost to services differently and suggest plans more effectively.

“It has long been an ambition of mine to go into the community to meet my colleagues and put faces to names of people that I am so often on the phone to. We are all finding that having met each other has broken down some barriers. Speaking to my community colleagues recently I am confident that they will be much more likely to phone the inpatient unit for advice, now they have met me and have realised how friendly I am!”