UKC LJ opened a refurbished 3,300 square metre building

The University Clinical Centre Ljubljana (UKC Ljubljana) has officially opened its newly renovated building, formerly known as the Institute for Occupational Safety. The structure, located behind the main building of the UKC near the playground of the paediatric clinic, now serves multiple purposes within the healthcare complex. It houses the electronic archiving unit of the document management service, as well as medical and on-call rooms, administrative spaces, and offices for the internal and surgical clinics. These facilities were essential during the renovation of the second part of the main hospital building. In the third floor, departments from the Faculty of Medicine will relocate from the main building, allowing for increased clinical activity. Later, parts of the haematology department will also move into this new space.

The general director of UKC Ljubljana, Marko Jug, stated that the centre became the owner of the building at the beginning of the millennium. In 2008, structural repairs were carried out on the object. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the building was largely unused, but after the outbreak, temporary clinics for treating patients infected with the virus were set up in the ground floor. Following the end of the pandemic, these spaces have been repurposed for neurological activities and emergency services at the infectious diseases clinic.

According to Jug, the project is crucial for the full renovation of the main building. The relocation to the newly renovated first section of the main building is scheduled for July 31, and it will take place entirely, not per floors as initially planned. Meanwhile, the renovation of the second part of the main building has already begun. The total cost of the renovation amounted to approximately 6.1 million euros including VAT. This sum included around one million euros from the recovery and resilience fund, five million euros from the Ministry of Health, and an additional contribution from the UKC itself.

The head of the nephrology and kidney transplantation centre, Miha Arnol, expressed his happiness and pride about acquiring completely new premises. He explained that the new space would become a true hub where all patients can be cared for—those waiting for transplants, those being prepared for them, and those receiving long-term follow-up care after surgery. He added that the new facilities would significantly improve the quality and safety of patient treatment and enhance working conditions for staff. Within these new spaces, there are outpatient clinics, day hospitals, administrative areas, and connections to the Slovenia Transplant and Eurotransplant institutions. Currently, they treat around 850 Slovenian patients who have received kidney transplants and care for over 100 dialysis patients awaiting a new organ. Annually, they perform approximately 50 kidney transplants.

Meanwhile, the head of the anaesthesiology and intensive care department for operative procedures, Tomislav Mirković, noted that their department is the largest clinical unit in the clinical centre but had previously been spread across five different locations. From now on, leadership and support services will be consolidated in one location, which should facilitate communication significantly. They have also set up on-call rooms, and the location is close to the central operating block where most of their activities take place.

At the same time, UKC Ljubljana is concluding the final phase of renovating the emergency surgical block, marking the completion of a 20-year-long project to fully renovate emergency areas. This includes six new operating rooms equipped with modern technology. The renovation is expected to be completed by August.

In addition to the renovations, UKC Ljubljana has acquired a new computed tomography (CT) machine called photon-counting CT, which converts each X-ray photon into an electrical signal, thereby reducing radiation exposure for patients. New equipment such as angiography units will also be introduced in the operating rooms.

Despite political changes, Jug expects ongoing investments in current projects. He believes that political shifts in healthcare will not affect the development of UKC. According to him, UKC Ljubljana is a key organization for everyone, and therefore must operate at maximum capacity, ensuring it remains fully equipped and capable of providing top-tier medical care.

The renovations and expansions at UKC Ljubljana reflect broader efforts to modernize and enhance healthcare infrastructure in Slovenia. With the completion of these projects, the institution aims to provide improved services to patients while creating better working environments for its staff. As the final stages of construction draw to a close, attention is turning toward the future, with plans for continued investment and development in the coming years.