Work begins on UK-first patient hotel for children

Work to build the UK's first purpose-built patient hotel for sick children and babies has begun.

The 12-room accommodation for patients of the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and their families is designed for children who need ongoing treatment and therapy after leaving inpatient care.

It will be adjacent to the hospital and named the Jingle Jam Building after the charity gaming event, which has raised more than £2.6m for the project alongside hospital charity The Grand Appeal.

Nicola Masters, director of The Grand Appeal, described the beginning of construction as "a landmark moment".

She continued: "For years, we've listened to staff and parents and heard about children who are well enough to leave an acute ward but still need regular therapy and specialist support.

"This pioneering development is our answer."

Patient hotels have long been used in Sweden, offering a way for hospitals to provide ongoing care to those who no longer need to stay on an inpatient ward.

The Jingle Jam Building will support children with a range of needs, including patients undergoing neurorehabilitation following a brain injury, those recovering from complex orthopaedic surgeries and children who need daily input from dieticians and speech and language therapists.

It will also have a terraced and tree-lined garden.

"Today is just the beginning, and we cannot wait to see the difference this facility will make to thousands of children for generations to come," Masters added.

Giles Haythornthwaite, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust clinical lead for major trauma added: "We care for critically ill children from as far as the tip of Cornwall, many of whom face long stays far from home.

"This new facility will reduce anxiety, support family involvement in therapy and help to improve children's outcomes on discharge."

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