£8m revamp scheme for Penn Hospital

A hospital in Wolverhampton will be given an £8 million revamp to improve the standards for its patients under plans which were unveiled today.

Penn Hospital was issued with a formal warning by the Care Quality Commission in October after inspectors found "fundamental problems".

Intensive care patients were moved to Heath Lane Hospital in West Bromwich in November because of concerns some wards were not fit for purpose.

Inspectors found fire exit doors damaged and sealed off, and some not labelled. Some wards were said to be uncomfortably hot while there were blind spots that meant patients could not be seen at all times.

Now it has emerged the Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the mental health hospital, wants to spend £8m overhauling the old block at the hospital.

A report on the proposals will be presented to the Joint Sandwell and Wolverhampton Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee on January 4.

It says the newer part of the site, the adult inpatient wards, is not fit for purpose.

The report says: "A new build would be the clinically preferred option. However this would cost around £16 million."

Bosss are proposing "reconfiguring" parts of the old block in the revamp.