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Colchester Hospital unveils landmark orthopaedic centre
Created using modern methods of construction (MMC), a new elective orthopaedic centre at Colchester Hospital is one of the largest in Europe.
Eight dedicated orthopaedic operating theatres and 72 patient beds, innovative clinical pathways for patients and excellent facilities for patient rehabilitation are just some of the features of the new Essex and Suffolk Elective Orthopaedic Centre (ESEOC), created at Colchester Hospital by modern methods of construction specialist MTX Contracts Ltd. Housed in the new three-storey 11,000m² Dame Clare Marx Building, the facility for East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) is one of the largest Elective Orthopaedic Centres in Europe. The new unit began treating patients
in November 2024 and caters for planned operations on bones, joints and muscles, including hip and knee replacements. The Trust anticipates around 60 consultants
operating at ESEOC coming from Ipswich, Colchester and West Suffolk, and a lot of work has been done to standardise clinical pathways
www.clinicalservicesjournal.com Volume 24 I Issue 6 I June 2025
THE CLINICAL SERVICES JOURNAL
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to work in a streamlined, standardised, and efficient way. The number of elective orthopaedic surgical
procedures is projected to double from the current 5,000 a year to more than 10,000 a year, including almost 4,000 day cases. The UK now has more than 100 surgical hubs;
the new Essex and Suffolk Elective Orthopaedic Centre (ESEOC) at Colchester Hospital is one of the biggest and most impressive. The centre is named after the late orthopaedic surgeon Dame
Clare Marx, the first female president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, who was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Ipswich Hospital. The facility houses eight new custom- designed orthopaedic operating theatres and space for up to 72 beds – more than half of those in single occupancy rooms. There are 16 single rooms with ensuite bathrooms in two of the ward areas, 14 single ensuite rooms within the third ward, plus two four-bed areas on each ward. It includes a reception area for greeting patients with dedicated drive-up drop off and pick up area, meeting and training rooms, X-ray facilities, and ancillary areas including a physical therapy room and gym. All eight operating theatres are located on
the ground floor with one ward on the middle floor and two on the top floor, so the flow paths within the new building include dedicated sterile stairwells and lifts. The ESEOC has two link corridors to the main hospital – one for general use, and a second separate, segregated staff corridor to transfer patients to the main hospital when necessary. It ensures facilities, including trauma care and critical care, are easily accessible if required. The centre also features extended recovery facilities for patients receiving more complex interventions such as revision surgery, or patients with complex health issues. Ward accommodation is wrapped around the outside of the buildings, so patients benefit from the natural light – so important for recovery. X-ray facilities are located on the first floor. Each theatre is equipped with a clean air
canopy by Medical Air Technology – particularly important for orthopaedic surgery to prevent infection, with a total of 14 air handling units serving the building. The theatres share a
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www.clinicalservicesjournal.com I June 2025
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