Specialist stroke patient ward at St Luke’s Hospital site in Harborough is set to shut for three weeks

A specialist stroke patient ward at St Luke’s Hospital site in Market Harborough is to be shut for three weeks as urgent structural repairs are carried out.

Work is to go ahead to repair the dilapidated roof at St Luke’s Hospital Ward 1 on Leicester Road.

“St Luke’s Hospital – unlike St Luke’s Treatment Centre on the same site – is a relatively old building,” said the NHS

“The 18-bed ward is one of two specialist stroke wards in Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust.

“The other is at Coalville Community Hospital.

“To ensure the safety and experience of patients and staff it will be necessary to close temporarily the ward for a period of up three weeks.”

The emergency repair scheme is due to start on Monday July 5.

Extra beds will be laid on for stroke patients on St Luke’s remaining general ward (Ward 3) and at Coalville Community Hospital while the facility is closed.

“To ensure that stroke patients continue to receive high quality stroke-specific rehabilitation and care, staff from St Luke’s Ward 1 will be relocated temporarily to support stroke patients on these wards.

“We will ensure patients who are currently on the ward do not experience unnecessary disruption to their inpatient stay,” added the NHS.

“During the period when the ward is closed NHS Property Services are also taking the opportunity to decorate and refurbish the ward area to enhance the patient environment.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause to patients and carers.

“We are very grateful to our staff who have agreed to work temporarily at other locations while the repairs are carried out.

“We are regularly reviewing and updating our policies and processes in relation to supporting both virtual and physical visiting on all of our community hospital wards,” stressed the NHS.

“We will work with family members and carers to ensure that regular contact is maintained for patients who may have to be cared for a little further from home during this period.

“The ward teams are committed to ensuring that patients and their family and carers are kept up to date with changes and progress and that patients’ needs are considered on an individual basis.”