Published on 24/01/2025
Her Majesty The Queen unveiled a plaque to officially open the new Emergency Department at Great Western Hospital in Swindon and the Evans Education Centre at Prospect Hospice, Wroughton.
Following the completion of a £33.5 million expansion, The Queen was given a tour and officially opened the new Emergency Department at Great Western Hospital, before heading to Prospect Hospice.
Her Majesty was introduced to staff, patients, volunteers, and therapy dog, Fenton, as she made her way around the expanded site – the biggest ever investment to the hospital.
The Queen was guided through the department, which features Mental Health & Wellbeing Rooms, dedicated facilities for observation, resuscitation, rapid assessment and major injuries by Dr Elizabeth Barneby.
Along the way, The Queen met four-year old Jackson James who was with his mother, Jade, and using the infant feeding room within the new children’s emergency unit.
Before departing to travel to Prospect Hospice, Her Majesty spoke to medical practitioners and others involved in the expansion. Nine year old Latoyah Vashi presented The Queen with a plant and helped to unveil a plaque to mark the Emergency Department officially open.
Arriving at Prospect Hospice, Her Majesty, who is President of Prospect Hospice, joined celebrations for the charity’s 45th anniversary and 30th year on its current site.
During her fourth visit to the charity, The Queen met staff, volunteers and supporters as well as two patients, Mark and Christopher, and their wives.
Founded in 1980 by the Reverend Evans, Prospect Hospice provides the only dedicated end-of-life care service for people in north-east Wiltshire, completely free of charge.
The Queen previously visited Prospect Hospice in January 2012 and in January 2020, as well as the charity’s outreach centre in Marlborough in February 2016.
Before the end of the visit, Her Majesty unveiled a plaque for the Evans Education Centre at the site, named after the founder, Rev Derryck Evans and cut a cake to mark 45 years of the hospice.
