THE way patients and visitors get into the main Colchester Hospital building and A&E is changing for the next five months.

On Wednesday (June 26) the main entrance will close as part of a major redevelopment to transform the front of the building.

The main entrance to the hospital building will be closed for around six months while building work continues, with a temporary entrance being opened instead.

This will allow for the construction of the new building, and during this period patients and visitors will need to use alternative entrances to the hospital.

The new temporary entrance will take patients and visitors through part of the outpatients department near to the children’s outpatients entrance.

To access Gainsborough Wing wards and clinics, patients and visitors are advised to use the Gainsborough Wing entrance to the right of the main building.

There will be signs in the front car parks which will guide patients and visitors, with volunteers and staff on hand.

The extension to the building, which is being funded by working with commercial partner Noviniti at no cost to the taxpayer, will be in two blocks.

The first is single-storey and provides additional space for the emergency department, which will also include an Urgent Treatment Centre from October.

The second is a larger, two-storey block which forms the new entrance.

This will provide non-clinical hospital space on the first floor, with new visitor facilities and convenience/retail outlets on the ground floor.

These include M&S Food to go, WH Smith, Costa Coffee and Stock Shop clothing store.