Innovation in Bristol's newest hospital

Bristol’s newest hospital, the Brunel building at Southmead, is one of the most advanced ospitals in Europe. It offers state-of-the-art care in a beautiful and purpose built environment, designed with the patient’s privacy and dignity in mind.

There are 24 operating theatres inside the new hospital building, which fully opened on 28 May, and they have been fitted with cutting-edge equipment. North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) is the first in the UK to adopt new generation software-based integrated theatres on such a large scale, allowing surgeons to call up data and images at the touch of a screen.

Robots operate in staff areas to transport goods. They can travel 3.9km with a full load between charges, delivering supplies and equipment throughout the hospital.Power is partly supplied by biofuel and the position of the building – from east to west – ensures the warmth of the sun is fully utilised in heating it.

Patients benefit from 75 per cent of the rooms being single occupancy and special corridors away from the public spaces, used for movement between wards and treatment areas. Rooms also have natural ventilation.

The construction of the Brunel building used 46,000 cubic metres of concrete and 7,000 tonnes of structural steel, and 1,750,000m of data cabling and 5,500,000m of electrical cable. The Atrium is 280m long and is the same height as the nave of Westminster Abbey.

The building has been named after Isambard Kingdom Brunel, to capture the spirit of innovation and forward-thinking so encapsulated by the work of this great Briton. The name was chosen from suggestions made by NBT staff.

Find out more on NBT’s website.