The state-of-the-art unit at Lincoln County Hospital includes a bright and spacious reception area; individual ensuite rooms for patients to prepare for their procedures; four treatment rooms with the opportunity to expand to six as needed; dedicated staff areas and training rooms.
The unit has been designed to be as energy efficient as possible and is surrounded by landscaped gardens, as well as having some dedicated car parking and a drop off area for patients.
Work to build the unit, situated on the edge of the hospital site just off St Anne’s Road, started in January 2025 and will open its doors to patients in September.
Endoscopy diagnostic services can help to detect ulcers, inflammation and diseases such as cancer.
The unit offers a modern, accessible facility for patients and also creates a much-improved working environment for staff. As this space is significantly larger than the current endoscopy unit, the service will be able to care for more patients.
Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group Chief Executive, Professor Karen Dunderdale, said: “Our endoscopy diagnostic services can help to detect cancer, so it is vital that we invest in these services to continue to be able to support our patients with fast and comfortable diagnostic services.
“This new unit will enable us to increase our diagnostic capacity, improve patient experience by offering even higher levels of patient privacy and provide a great working environment for our staff.
“The unit has increased the number of procedure rooms we have at Lincoln from three to four, with the potential to add a further two rooms in the future. This will ensure we can meet increasing demand and allow our patients to be seen sooner and in a much nicer state-of-the-art environment.”
The 1,972 square metre state-of-the-art building is replacing a 36-year-old modular building that is no longer fit for purpose. To enable the build to take place on a former staff car park area, several trees had to be removed. To counteract the environmental impact of this, the hospital teamed up with Wilder Doddington to plant more trees off site. The car parking spaces were re-provided elsewhere on the hospital site.
By incorporating crime prevention measures as part of the design, the building has also received a Secured by Design Gold Award. The Gold Award specifically acknowledges projects that have implemented comprehensive measures to reduce opportunities for crime and anti-social behaviour through improved layout, environmental design, and the use of police preferred specification products.
Dr Glenn Spencer, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Clinical Lead for Endoscopy, said: “This fantastic new state-of-the-art unit is ready to provide our patients with a greatly improved environment and a better patient experience. All patients will be cared for in individual en-suite rooms.
“Our colleagues now have excellent facilities to enhance the high-quality care that they have always provided. We now have the environments we need to meet the growing demands for endoscopic procedures within the county.”
Teri Would, Clinical Services Manager, said: “This is a really exciting time for the whole team and we would like to thank all of the staff and all of the patients who have contributed to this amazing project and its design. It has been so exciting to see all of their hard work and visions become a reality.”
Health and Social Care Minister, Baroness Gillian Merron, said: “This new endoscopy unit is a brilliant example of our investment in community care, giving the people of Lincolnshire access to fast and comfortable diagnostic services.
“Waiting lists are now at their lowest level in three years, and last year the NHS carried out a record 29 million diagnostic tests and scans, but we know there is more to do.
“That’s why this government is investing £237 million in new, expanded and enhanced community diagnostic centres, so that more patients can get the checks and scans they need, faster and closer to home.”
Regional Director at Bowmer + Kirkland, Gus Kedzior, said: “We are proud to have completed this state-of-the-art endoscopy unit, which will provide patients with a modern, accessible environment and support the hospital in meeting demand. Working closely with the hospital team and our supply chain partners, we have delivered a high-quality, sustainable facility that not only enhances the patient experience but also provides an excellent working environment for staff. We look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on patient care for many years to come.”