The construction of the Royal Sussex’s new helideck started this week with the installation of a crane on top of the Thomas Kemp Tower.
The helideck forms part of the £485m nine-year redevelopment of the site which began in January, and which will replace all the buildings on the front half of the hospital site with two new hospital facilities.
The crane was lifted into place by a 500 tonne mobile unit working from one of the hospital’s service roads. It will be used in the construction of the helideck that will stand four storeys above the existing roof of the tower.
The helideck will allow the most severely injured and unwell patients to be brought directly to the hospital by air ambulance rather than having to land in East Brighton Park as it currently does.
It will be served by a new lift on the south face of the Thomas Kemp Tower, which will give quick access from the roof of the building to emergency, resuscitation and trauma services on level 5 of the hospital.
Duane Passman, Director of 3Ts, said: “This is a highly visible and striking symbol of the works that are taking place to improve the hospital for patients across Brighton & Hove and the wider region.
“The building of the helideck is just one of many ways in which the redevelopment will modernise the hospital over the next nine years. In the coming months the support structure for the helideck will begin to take shape and it will be ready for service at the end of 2017.”
