Media Release
Date: 18 March 2025
New Intensive Care Unit opens at the Royal United Hospitals Bath
A new modern 16-bed intensive care unit (ICU) at the Royal United Hospitals Bath (RUH) has welcomed its first patients.
The new unit provides care for some of the sickest patients at the RUH, including those recovering from major surgery, heart attacks and strokes or life-threatening infections such as sepsis.
Margi Jenkins RUH Matron for Intensive Care and Critical Care Outreach said: “We’re delighted our new ICU will support us to deliver the very highest standards of care for our community, at what is often a very difficult time for the people we care for and their loved ones.
“Our team has fed into the design process at every step of the way, to create the best environment for everyone using or working in our new unit. From more natural light and better ventilation through to the very latest equipment and better facilities for visitors, we are very proud of what the team has achieved.”
The new unit includes ceiling mounted pendants to house equipment used to care for patients. The majority of the pendants were funded by RUHX, the RUH’s official charity and Friends of the RUH, an independent charity which also raises funds to provide facilities, support services and equipment for the RUH.
Rhyannon Boyd, RUHX Associate Director said: “This is a proud collaboration between RUHX and the Friends of the RUH to enable the purchase of this new world-class ICU equipment at a cost of almost £225,000.
“Each of the beds in the unit has a new ICU pendant, which will help provide extraordinary intensive care treatment in the critical hour of need where every second matters. Thank you to all our supporters who helped make it happen”
Bernard Rymer, Chairman and Deputy Treasurer of Friends of the RUH said: “It’s been a real privilege to join forces with RUHX to ensure our new ICU includes this equipment. “The money we raise from the shop and café we run at the RUH allows us to target areas that will provide the most benefit to patients and the hospital – whether that’s wall clocks for patients with dementia, providing emergency toiletry packs for patients or funding significant pieces of equipment such as the ICU pendants.”
Ahead of officially opening, staff, donors and those closely involved in the creating the new ICU gathered to mark the successful completion of the project. They were joined on the day by Bath Rugby player Tom Dunn, who has close links with the RUH following his time as a volunteer at the hospital during the COVID-19 epidemic. Tom’s wife Jen also worked as pharmacist in the unit, so Tom is well aware of the big difference the new ICU will make.
Tom said: “Whenever I have been to the RUH in the last few years, whether to visit or to help out, the thing that really strikes me the most is all the different people pulling together in the same direction to do the best for patients – whether porters, pharmacists, nurses or the estates team.
The unit is an incredible facility with all the latest equipment but it’s the people who really make it and this ICU is an example of the best kind of high-performance environment.”
The new ICU replaces an old existing ground floor unit and a temporary unit that was built to provide additional support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bringing staff and services together in one carefully designed space will ensure a safer and more efficient service, making much better use of resources.
The new unit also includes:
- Negative and positive pressure rooms, where patients who are infectious or at risk of infection can be cared for safely.
- Improved facilities for loved ones and visitors, to provide a better environment including:
- a dedicated kitchen and lounge,
- calm and welcoming quiet space for private conversations or reflection,
- Improved access to information to support families and friends
- Improved access for people with disabilities, including a disabled toilet within the unit.
- Tailored wall displays to highlight some of the equipment you might see or hear when on the unit, and clear explanations of what the equipment is used for.
- Separate staff and visitor entrances to enhance security and to ensure that visitors can quickly access the unit.
- Better staff facilities, including a meeting room, changing facilities and space to take a break.
The new ICU is expected to provide care for over 1,000 patients a year and is jointly run by an experienced group of specialist doctors and nurses, supported by therapists, technicians and support staff.
