Royal Stoke Hospital hopes new building will help winter pressures
They're building an extension
It's hoped a new extension to Staffordshire's main hospital will speed up treatment and free up beds this winter.
Royal Stoke Hospital is building a new unit using £13.4-million of government funding.
The allocated funding is to try and boost NHS bed capacity and alleviate a so-called 'winter crisis'.
Chief Executive of the University Hospitals North Midlands Trust, Tracy Bullock told Greatest Hits Radio News that it's going to be a real help.
"It's going to be attached to the front of the existing A&E department, a unit called Same Day Emergency Care." she said.
"The new build is 30 beds and it's 10 trolleys. The trolleys are for rapid assessment, if they're going to be in the department for longer and they need a bed for comfort - they'll then be put in the bed. That then allows us to free up space for other clinical use.
"We do still have a significant bed gap, 60 beds at least."
Tracy added: "We already know Cheadle Hospital will open again over the winter period, but still with that gives us the 60 bed gap. So, lots of discussions - but the money we've got from national will help us."
30 NHS organisations across England received investment in urgent and emergency care services as part of a £250-million package. This includes developing or expanding urgent treatment centres and same day emergency care services which will help patients to be seen more quickly, without being admitted to hospital. The NHS expects that the majority of schemes will be completed by January to help deal with winter pressures.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:
“Cutting waiting lists is one of my top five priorities, so this year the government has started planning for winter earlier than ever before and the public can be reassured we are backing the NHS with the resources it needs.
Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive said:
“Winter is always a busy time for the NHS and so it is right that we put robust plans in place as early as possible to boost capacity and help frontline staff to prepare for additional pressure.
“Our winter plans, which build on the progress already made on our urgent and emergency care recovery plan, aim to reduce waiting times for patients and to transform services with an expansion of same day care and virtual wards, helping patients to be cared for in their own home where possible.”
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