First patients treated in newly renovated NNUH wards
It's part of a project to create a dedicated 23-hour patient stay recovery area.
This week sees the first patients being treated in the newly renovated Lion and Golden wards in the NNUH Arthur South Day Procedure Unit (DPU).
The aim of the project was to create the infrastructure for a dedicated 23-hour patient stay recovery area.
This work is all part of the Theatre Improvement Programme, which also includes the development of the new Ambulatory Procedure Unit and Children's theatre complex. The redevelopment of the Lion and Golden wards led to a new recovery area for DPU, which includes facilities and capacity for patients to stay for up to 23 hours. This means that patients who are having more complex procedures are able to recover on the unit and be discharged by our team of day surgery practitioners in the morning, reducing the need of inpatients bed spaces. It is a vital step in the support of the process of reinstating and increasing operating theatre activity.
The works have reconfigured the unit, relocating the nurse base to a more optimal position which enables the team to overlook the patient bed spaces more directly, whilst allowing a better patient flow throughout the department. A modern, bright and spacious area has been created with new shower rooms, LED energy-efficient lights and redecoration.
Sister Diana Bernardino, NNUH clinical lead for the DPU said:
"This is such a fantastic space: it will be a great environment for our patients and our team. We are future-proofing our department and these are exciting times"
Dr Michael Irvine, NNUH Director of Service (Anaesthesia) and Chief of Service (Theatres) said:
"Our vision for the future is to use this new dedicated patient area to support patients who only need a brief overnight stay after their operation and can be discharged early in the morning after their surgery by a specialist day surgery nursing team. This model of care is often called 23 hour stay and will reduce the demand on our traditional inpatient post-operative beds, whilst improving patient experience."