Friday 3rd December saw the official handover of the new Containment Level 3 (CL3) laboratory from the contractors to the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust.
This CL3 facility will future proof the ability of the Trust to safely process specimens from “High Risk” patients and propagate potential and confirmed “High Risk” organisms. The planning, design, costing, build and commissioning have taken, in total, the best part of 10 years to get to complete.
Multiple staff from multiple departments across the Royal Devon and Exeter Trust, external architects, structural engineers, specialist Containment Level 3 build companies, specialist safety equipment providers, specialist safety consultants, medical consultants and technical staff have been involved in putting this project together.
The project evolved over time from upgrading just one laboratory – to converting four laboratory spaces into the new HSE compliant Containment Level 3 facility.
This new facility is in Microbiology department in the Old Pathology building.
A great deal of thanks goes to all personnel involved from external companies and the RDE Trust for the hours and hours invested in this project.
