Kent hospital ward reopened following £900k refurbishment

Published by

Sam Pither

The Heron Ward at the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital in Herne Bay, Kent has reopened following a £900,000 refurbishment.

The honour of officially cutting the tape to reopen the ward was given to longest serving team member, 74-year-old Healthcare Assistant Jo Suttle, who has worked at the hospital for 27 years. Jo is ‘the heart of the team’ according to Ward Matron Alison Read,

Alison said: “We are all so excited and happy to return to our home, Heron Ward. The team has been working so hard in our temporary location at Westbrook House, looking after our patients and giving them the best care possible.

“The new space is dedicated to our colleagues, past, present and future, as we welcome patients back home to Herne Bay."

The newly refurbished ward now features a new reception area an nurses stations, while patient spaces have been reinvigorated with new flooring, LED-lighting and bedside televisions, with Juliet balconies in the side rooms.

KCHFT Chief Executive Mairead McCormick, said: “The new ward is bright, colourful and spacious and I was thrilled to see the effort that had gone into making it a space where patients can receive the best possible care.

“So much thought has gone into the refurbished side rooms where we will be able to provide high-quality, end-of-life care. The big new staff room shows we value our colleagues and to see them jumping around in excitement was lovely.

“It was a special moment to see Jo cutting the ribbon after everything she has done and continues to do for the hospital. There’s a real sense of teamwork here at Herne Bay, it feels like a family.”

The refurbishment was possible thanks to a generous legacy from the Mermikides family, donations from the League of Friends and additional funding from NHS England.

Featured image: NHS

Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset. A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise. Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.