WORK has halted on a £2m plan to extend the A&E department at the Countess of Chester Hospital after the construction firm went bust.

Clovemead, based in Warrington, had been working on the site since December before administrators were brought in earlier this month.

However, health chiefs are optimistic that another builder can be found swiftly and the project need not be delayed.

Chief Operating Officer Lorraine Burnett said: “The Trust remains committed to delivering the planned improvements to our Accident & Emergency department.

“We have already taken steps to find another builder and are confident that the work will be completed within the timeframes agreed.

“I would like to apologise to our patients for the ongoing inconvenience and ask them to please bear with us while we do all we can to create the top quality A&E that our patients and staff deserve.”

Chester and District Standard:

How the new extended A&E is expected to look.

Bosses say the scheme is vital after A&E attendances at the Liverpool Road site more than doubled in the past 36 years.

In 2017/18 NHS figures show there were 78,826 attendances – a rise of 10,642 over the five years since 2012/13.

The new 400 square metre extension would be tagged onto the south side of the building and include a new entrance, waiting area, children’s area, ambulance bay and canopy.

Existing car parks would also be expanded to provide 135 new spaces, 54 of which would replace those lost in the expansion project.

Bosses say road alterations would also be introduced to help the flow of traffic, which can often hold up blue light ambulances coming onto the site.

The extension is being funded by a £2 million grant from the Department of Health and Social Care.

Mrs Burnett said previously that the new plans would make a “huge difference to patients and staff”.

“Our A&E was built in the 1990s to cater for 120 patients a day, but now it is not only over 20 years old it’s also dealing with almost double that amount of patients every day,” she said.

Chester and District Standard:

The Countess of Chester Hospital.

“As a result, our A&E facilities have been in need of refurbishment for some time. We’ve been working hard to find a breakthrough with this and this is the first step to creating the top quality A&E that our patients and staff deserve.”

Consultant Dr David Wilson said: “This is a great opportunity for the Emergency Department to improve the patient journey by creating a more spacious and comfortable environment for them to wait in.”