£6million funding announced to improve Basildon Hospital’s Emergency Department
Work on the extension is expected to begin in September and be completed by spring next year
Last updated 19th Aug 2026
Patients going to Basildon Hospital's Emergency Department are hoped to be seen and treated quicker following a multi-million-pound investment.
Half of the £6million funding will be used to more than double the size of the hospital's Rapid Assessment, Triage and Treatment (RATT) area, with eight new, larger assessment bays replacing the three currently in use.
The project follows a similar scheme at Southend Hospital, which opened in March. The NHS says the expanded facilities there have helped improve ambulance handover times and patients' experience on arrival at the ED.
Work on the extension is expected to begin in September and be completed by spring next year
Maimuna Mushabe, Interim Chief Executive of Basildon Hospital, said: "We have already seen the benefits of bigger assessment facilities at Southend Hospital. Increasing our ambulance handover and assessment capacity at Basildon will help cut waiting times, improve patient flow through the Emergency Department and ensure people receive care more quickly.”
Basildon Emergency Department Matron, Danielle Stephenson, said: “This will make a huge difference to our patients and our staff. It means we will be able to give the care we want to deliver in a place that’s fit for modern healthcare practice.”
The remaining £3million will fund the replacement of the department's 20-year-old roof, helping to protect clinical areas from water damage and the effects of bad weather. The new roof structure will improve insulation and lighting and have a more sustainable covering.
The department will remain open throughout the project.