'We need local people to help us': GWH message as emergency department opens
The £33.5 million expansion is the biggest ever investment to the hospital site
Bosses at Swindon's brand new urgent and emergency care development have given a huge 'thank you' for the efforts of their workforce right across the Trust and their Partners.
On social media, they say it's thanks to them that they could open the £33.5 million expansion yesterday (18 September).
They add now local people need to help them in return, by only coming to hospital if you really need to.
They said: "Thank you for the incredible hard work from our amazing workforce right across the Trust and our partners, that meant the Emergency Department could open today.💙
"Now we need local people to help us in return, by only coming to hospital if you really need to and using NHS 111."
The £33.5million urgent and emergency care expansion is the biggest ever investment to the hospital site and follows the opening of the Urgent Treatment Centre and OUH Radiotherapy @ Swindon Centre in 2022, which already represent a huge investment in Swindon’s healthcare infrastructure.
The site is larger too, 60 per cent larger in fact, and will make sure that the hospital is 'fit for the future' with the increasing demands of health in the region and growing population.
There was a ribbon-cutting event back in July, when local Paralympian Louise Hunt did the honours.
The new Emergency Department has an increase in ‘majors cubicles’, and individual environmental controls such as dimmable lighting.
There are now more resuscitation cubicles, too, with one new resus bay dedicated to children.
There will also be a secluded room for patients in mental health crisis, a more comfortable observation area and two supportive relatives’ rooms set away from the bustle of the main department.
Work is also underway to improve urgent and emergency care for under 18s, with a new Children’s Emergency Unit set to open later this year.
Natalie Lawrence, Lead Nurse for the urgent and emergency care development, said: “It’s a really exciting time for the organisation, as we move towards a real improvement to our delivery of care for some of the sickest patients in the local area.
“We have made big changes to the way we provide this care in the new department, and are now looking at how we can better streamline services to make them more efficient, and to ensure that patients are treated in the right place, first time.
“We’ve also been working with local people to ensure that the interiors of the building best meet all care needs, including with representation from the dementia, learning disability and autism communities, children and young persons mental health, carers, wheelchair users and people with neurodiversities.
“This means we have been able to create spaces that are more welcoming and comfortable, and feel less like a clinical hospital setting, as we know that, ultimately, the environment we care for patients in has huge impact on their ongoing recovery.”
Julian Auckland-Lewis, Director for the Trust’s capital development Way Forward Programme, added: “When the hospital was opened in 2002, the Emergency Department was designed to care for around 48,000 patients a year. As the local population has grown, the urgent and emergency services now see over 100,000 patients a year – more than double.
“It is hoped that the increase in physical capacity in the new departments, and new ways of working that are more innovative and efficient, will result in shorter waiting times for our patients and less ambulances queuing to handover patients.
“We also continue to work hard with our partners in the Trust’s own Integrated Care Alliance Coordination Centre, and more widely across Swindon and Wiltshire, to ensure patients are treated in the right place, have ongoing care packages in place outside of hospital and don’t spend any longer in hospital than is needed; all of which improve flow through the healthcare system and help to reduce the time people wait at the front door.”