Construction on the new Intensive Care Unit has begun at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Renovations to the ICU began on Monday, and are expected to be completed by October.

Based on established American and Canadian ICU standards, the new $4 million unit is expected to provide a "state of the art facility for both patients and medical practitioners," stated a release from the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB).

A temporary ICU is now situated in the hospital's emergency area, and will remain in that location until the new unit is ready for occupation.

"Renovations will bring the facility up to date and ensure that we have the standard equipment found in modern ICU's," said facilities management director George Melling. "The new unit will accommodate nine patients to meet our clinical needs.

"A number of our managers and nurses went overseas to the United States and Canada during the planning process to look at what other hospitals have in their intensive care units. Their insight and feedback were incorporated into the design process."

"This is all part of our strategic plan to bring a high-quality medical service to Bermuda residents," said BHB CEO Joan Dillas-Wright.

"The care and comfort of patients will continue to be a priority during the renovations."

The new ICU was designed by Cooper and Gardner Architects, with D&J Construction Ltd. providing the construction.

Plans for a new diagnostic imaging area are also in development and are slated to go out to tender for construction and engineering in March, said the BHB.

A larger undertaking than the ICU, the renovations will comprise of two phases and take approximately 12 months to complete.