Hundreds of patients already treated at Children's Emergency Unit in Swindon
It opened its doors just last week
Last updated 15th Nov 2024
We're told that hundreds of patients from across Wiltshire have already been seen at Swindon's Great Western Hospital's first-ever dedicated Children's Emergency Unit.
It officially opened last week, and is the next stage in the £33million Integrated Front Door programme, following the recent opening of the new Emergency Department.
The new unit has 13 cubicles, two high acuity bays and one resuscitation bay.
It also includes a baby and breastfeeding room, a sensory play room for children with neurodiversities and a wellbeing room for younger patients arriving in mental health crisis.
'The unit has become a destination'
Katie Rix is a senior sister at the Department, and told Greatest Hits Radio: "We've been in a borrowed space for the past year and a half, and before that, we had a repurposed set of four cubicles between the pantry and the adult department.
"Now, we're bigger, brighter, and very much better than we've ever been.
"Before, it's always been that you go to the children's bay, but now this unit has become a destination.
"The children never choose to come here, but if they do - we can actually carry out our services better, and it's a much more relaxed environment for everyone now."
The unit may have just opened - but they're going to make the new space even more better - as they work to further integrate services for under-18s.
Katie added: "We have plans for another four beds within our Children's Emergency Unit for our paediatric services, coming down from the second floor of the hospital.
"When people ask about the future-proofing of this site, well we built with a vision for the future, and built it with an idea of bringing everything for children all together.
"The parents and children who have already been through seem to absolutely love it - and it's so nice to be able to offer specialist support to those who need it."
A statement shared by the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "A huge well done to the team working in paediatric emergency care, and on the Paediatric Assessment Unit, alongside the wider Integrated Front Door project team for all your hard work to develop this incredible new CEU.
"Thank you also goes to all project partners, including builders IHP and Serco, who helped create this new, modern space for Swindon and Wiltshire's youngest patients."