This week has seen an important step in our journey to reshape how hospital services will be provided in the future for our local communities.

Invitations are now being sent out to CHFT colleagues to join us at a series of events to help us draw up the design basics for the new building work at CRH.

The outline plans for CRH include an extended ED including a new Paediatric ED, more in-patient wards and more theatres. The work is due to be complete in 2025.

The events will start in a few weeks’ time – at both hospitals - and will bring invited  colleagues  from the services and areas which will be affected  by the transformation together with our architect adviser and healthcare planners.

The aim is to agree some clinical design principles which will be essential for the final designs for the new building work at CRH.

After these initial events there will also be opportunities for colleagues from across the wider Trust to engage with the ongoing process.

Also, as part of the current phase, we will be inviting members of the public – representing key groups from our local communities  -   to events for them to have their input from the very start in parallel with the clinical input.

We look forward to welcoming you to the events and, on behalf of the Trust,  we thank you for all your support now and into the future.

Anna Basford, Director of Transformation                Nicola Bailey, Transformation Programme Manager