The University Hospital of Wales (Ysbyty Athrofaol Cymru) (UHW) is a major 1000+ bed hospital. situated to the North East of Cardiff. The Hospital is the largest site running under the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. The Health Board is one of the largest NHS organisations in the UK, providing day to day health services to a population of around 472,400 people living in the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan area.
The UHW is a major Tertiary Centre with many specialist services, a large Emergency and Trauma Unit, Children’s Hospital and Dental Hospital as well as an attached Medical School (Cardiff University School of Medicine). The Health Board has close links with Cardiff University as a teaching hospital and boasts a high-profile teaching and Research & Development role within the UK. UHW has approximately 1,000 beds. The number of patient contacts during 2019 was approximately 1,000,000, plus visitors, staff and students. There are 9,500 staff based at UHW. Annually on site 1.2 million cars occupy the onsite car parking facilities.
UHW has a vision for its Retail Concourse; to significantly improve the current retail offering within the main hospital building and for it to be a modern, bright and user-friendly environment providing a first-class reception and retail area at the first point of entry of the hospital. By the very nature of the hospital environments, there is a high footfall and dwell time within the main entrance reception area, with staff, patients and visitors often making multiple trips through the area.
UHW continues to develop as a centre of excellence for recovery and rehabilitation services. Patients will therefore remain in hospital for varying lengths of time. Accessing retail and social amenities plays a key part in their hospital stay and recovery process.
The Concourse is designed to make a positive first impression on patients, visitors, students and staff, matching the health promoting ethos of the organisation with a vibrant and friendly environment in which to wait for an appointment or a relative, way finding information for those passing through and the opportunity to obtain quality refreshments. The Health Board is keen to make sure that any retail is open to and caters for the local community.
The UHB is seeking expressions of interest from individual retailers on a unit by unit basis who would like to provide services within the Retail Space to help meet the Health Board’s and the local community’s needs.