WORK is coming on apace at the new Burrell Wing at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester.

Already large sections of the old Butterworth Wing, some parts of which date back to the 18th century, have been decommissioned.

Old-style Nightingale' wards - not to be confused with the Nightingale Wing - are now out of use and mainly used for storage.

This part of the hospital is due to be sold for conversion to flats or offices with the hospital services transferred to the Burrell Wing.

Currently only the top floor of Burrell, level D, is occupied with the new treatment centre.

Level C will be the new unscheduled care centre', incorporating the A&E, emergency surgical assessment unit, emergency medical assessment unit and a children's A&E area.

Level B will contain outpatients and pharmacy. It has not yet been decided exactly which departments will move into level A, but possibly orthodontics and oral surgery.

A brand new A&E entrance will be created into the Burrell Wing and a bridge will be constructed between Burrell Wing and Florence Portal Hospital.

The most obvious changes will be to A&E where the aim is to locate all unscheduled services to provide a co-ordinated response to emergency care and improve communications betw-een teams.

The plan is to deliver a more consistent service to all patients; provide senior expertise at an early stage and bring primary and secondary care together.

Trust bosses are planning to have the whole of the Burrell Wing up and running by 2011.