Taking shape - Southmead's 'super' hospital

Healthcare in Bristol and the surrounding areas is changing. At the heart of these changes will be a brand-new, state-of-the-art hospital at the current Southmead site.

North Bristol NHS Trust is working with Carillion on the £430million project which will offer patients the very best state-of-the-art hospital facilities when the doors open in 2014.

One of the major benefits for patients will be the end of traditional wards which will be replaced by single rooms with en-suite facilities and single-sex four-bed wards.

The 800-bed hospital will have more single rooms than any other NHS hospital in the country, greatly improving privacy and dignity and helping to control the spread of infections.

There will be plenty of parking with 2,700 spaces on site. Public transport links to the hospital will also be greatly improved, making it much easier for patients, visitors and staff to leave their cars at home.

The design and layout of the new hospital means that patients and visitors will find it very easy to navigate. There will be one main entrance and relevant departments will be located next to each other, cutting down on travel times around the site.

The hospital will be one of the most environmentally-friendly buildings in the country and be bright and airy with outside views.

Centralising services onto one hospital site will also benefit clinical staff and save hours of their time currently wasted as they travel between sites.

Care for the most seriously-ill patients will be improved with more intensive care and high-dependency beds. The state-of-the-art emergency department will have its own entrance - greatly improving access for ambulances. There will also be a helipad with a link straight into the department.