A new ward block has opened at Northwick Park Hospital providing a state-of-the-art working environment for staff and new facilities for patients.

The unit, which was handed over in January, includes three wards named Crick Ward, Darwin Ward and Elgar Ward.

In total, the new ward block at the hospital in Brent will provide 36 new beds for the hospital, in an effort to help speed up the time it takes to move patients from A&E to a ward bed.

The new Elgar Ward also replaces the previously over 40-year-old infectious diseases unit in the hospital.

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Jacqueline Docherty DBE, chief executive of London North West Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, said: “The opening of these wards represents a major investment the future of Northwick Park and will help improve the care and experience of patients in hospital.

“The Crick Ward Assessment Unit and Darwin Ward Short Stay Unit will help to improve patient flow through hospital by speeding-up the time it takes to move patients from A&E admission to a ward bed and then safe discharge.

“Elgar Ward replaces an infectious diseases unit that was over 40 years old. Its 15 single rooms are said to all have en-suite facilities and individual temperature control for the comfort of patients.

The rooms also have their own negative pressure units to stop air flowing from the room so preventing cross infection.

“In addition Elgar Ward provides an Infectious Diseases Assessment Room for the care of outpatients.”