Builders are on target to complete a new hospital wing before handing over the project to health chiefs next week.

According to a spokeswoman for the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB), all heavy construction work is complete and building teams are now working on cosmetic details and final cleaning.

The BHB will take over the facility on June 12, although it will not be ready to receive patients until mid-September.

The spokeswoman said that health officials had a transition plan “to allow a smooth transition from a construction site to an operational hospital at the building handover”.

“The Emergency Department, Diagnostic Imaging and main entrance are also close to completion with installation of final pieces of equipment and furniture,” the spokeswoman said.

“The new MRI, CT and X-ray machines have now been installed by the manufacturer and commissioned. Further diagnostic imaging equipment is due to be transferred to the new wing from the existing facility just before the new wing opens to the public apart from the existing CT scanner which will be transferred shortly after the public opening to ensure continuity of service.”

Dialysis and Oncology suites are also completed, although medical equipment and furniture have yet to be installed.

And the ward floors now have virtually all their fixtures, fittings and equipment installed and final signage is being progressed.

“The mechanical plant rooms are currently the busiest areas on site as final pieces of installation, start-up of remaining pieces of equipment and commissioning are progressed,” the spokeswoman added.

The outside is now also complete “apart from a final clean”, although work on the hospital grounds such as landscaping and road surfacing is ongoing.

The new wing is set to cost the BHB $247 million, and an initial payment of $40 million must be made by next week. The Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Trust has so far raised just over $30 million towards that figure.

To make a donation to the Why It Matters campaign visit www.bhct.bm for more information.