The multimillion-pound transformation of Springfield University Hospital in South West London concluded this month as the new Shaftesbury building opened to patients and service users.
The new facility is home to the Trust’s specialist forensic services and follows the neighbouring Trinity building which opened in late 2022. Both facilities sit at the heart of the new Springfield Village community which includes hundreds of new homes, a public square, shops and a 32-acre public park – the largest opened in London since the 2012 Olympics.
Chief Executive of South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, Vanessa Ford, said: “Building better environments for our patients, services users and staff is key to achieving our Trust mission, Making Life Better Together. Springfield’s transformation signals the start of an exciting new era for local mental health services as we open up our sites, break down stigma and bring our hospitals closer to the communities we serve.”
“The new Shaftesbury building delivers bright, modern environments that improves inpatient care and supports recovery for people struggling with complex mental health issues. Along with Trinity and the wider Springfield Village, it symbolises just how much we can achieve through innovative co-design and co-production. We now look ahead to investing more than £120m to develop further new hospital buildings across South West London.”
Construction at Springfield began in early 2020 and continued throughout the pandemic, with contractors navigating the challenges successfully to complete the build in-budget. Between December 2022 and October 2023, over 700 staff and patients have moved safely into Trinity and Shaftesbury. The facilities include eight wards and outpatient facilities for children, young people and adults. The inpatient wards are bright and spacious with ensuite bedrooms, sensory rooms, garden courtyards and the very latest safety features and technologies to support patient care.
Manager of Ruby Ward, Toheeb Bawala, said: “We are delighted to have moved from older facilities into these fantastic new environments. It has been a big month for everyone in our specialist services, but we are so pleased with our new facilities. The bright, modern feel of the building makes a real difference to the atmosphere on our ward and already we are seeing the impact this has for our patients and our teams.”
Originally opened by – and named after – comedian and mental health advocate Ruby Wax, Ruby Ward is one of four specialist wards in Shaftesbury alongside Hume, Halswell and Oak Unit. Other parts of the building house parking areas, corporate offices, a restaurant and a gym which will open in the coming months.
Co-designed with staff and patients over a number of years, the facilities also feature a series of 20 artworks designed in partnership with arts and mental health charity Hospital Rooms. These were co-created through 120 workshops hosted by leading artists in collaboration with staff and patients at Springfield Hospital.
Liam, a service user involved in the project, said: “Joining the Hospital Rooms project has been lifechanging for me. The opportunities I’ve had to meet new people, learn new skills, and spend time being creative has had enormous positive effects on my mental wellbeing and recovery.”
The Trust now looks ahead to the £110m redevelopment of its second major inpatient site, Tolworth Hospital in Kingston, which is scheduled to start next year for delivery in 2027. At the same time works are due to begin on the £11m redevelopment of Barnes Hospital in Richmond for delivery in 2025, whilst the Richmond Royal Health Centre is also due to reopen following refurbishment works in late 2024.
