A plan for new staff changing room, toilets and store at Tavistock Hospital has been given conditional approval by planners.

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, which runs Tavistock Hospital, put forward the plan for a two-storey extension to provide staff facilities as part of the hospital masterplan.

The proposals are for an extension to the rear of the building to house new staff facilities on the lower ground floor and a large store room on the ground floor. This will provide much-needed facilities for staff and improve the workflow of equipment in the hospital.

The staff facilities at the hospital
are inadequate with limited changing space
and poor links to the rest of the building. Furthermore, there is a serious lack of storage, with staff members having to use
an external temporary store which has infection control implications.

This proposal will provide essential spaces for the hospital which will make a more pleasant working experience for staff and safer handling of theatre equipment in a dedicated store.

The NHS says that the current staff facilities and store are unworkable for the day to day running of the hospital and have resulted in some serious infection control concerns which must be addressed.

The proposed extension will link to improved escape routes and landscaping in the garden along with improved exterior lighting.

Tavistock Hospital has a minor injury unit dealing with non life-threatening injuries still needing urgent treatment. There are 13 beds on the inpatient ward and
a specialist theatre team running a day case surgical unit.