NHS Regional Chair officially opens newly refurbished A&E

6 February 2001

The £600,000 newly refurbished Accident and Emergency Department at the West Suffolk Hospital was officially opened today (Tuesday, 6 February) by Mrs Rosie Varley, Regional Chairman, NHS Executive Eastern.

During a tour of the department Mrs Warley was shown how the Government's modernisation money has been used to improve the environment, provide a se6arate area for children and extend treatment areas for better, more efficient patient care.

“About 30% of the people we see in A&E are children and now they have their own brightly coloured waiting area with toys and separate assessment/treatment room. This is helping to make hospital a less frightening place for them,” said Chief Executive Johanna Finn.

“Four additional treatment rooms and an open plan resuscitation area is allowing doctors and nurses to observe patients better and deliver more effective patient care in a modern, attractive and secure environment.”

Other features of the scheme include:

• a new waiting area for adults,

• a discrete area for triage, where patients receive an initial assessment to determine their priority for treatment,

• improved security including panic alarms, CCTV cameras and surveillance room that is also

• a base for the local police,

• a 20% increase in the available floor space,

• increase in the number of treatment areas from 14 to 18 cubicles,

• increase in the number of resuscitation spaces from one and half to two spaces plus two

• more that can be used more flexibly and the potential for two further spaces.

• new monitoring equipment for the extended resuscitation area.

To commemorate the occasion, Mrs Varley unveiled a plaque in the department and was invited by Chairman of the Trust Mrs Veronica Worrall to sign the visitor's book.

Notes:

Facts about the modernisation work and A&E activity

Duration of the modernisation work

Following the re-provision of offices and the medical records library work started on the department in February 2000 and finished six months later in August.

Trends in activity

• attendances increase by two per cent per annum, equivalent to an increase of 10,000 patients seen over the last 10 years

• 35,000 attendances last year (95 per day)

• 30% attendances are children (31 per day)

• on average, every day the department sees between one and two priority one patients ie patients with a life threatening illness or injury who are seen immediately on arrival, and one patient who need resuscitation.

• busiest times for the department are between 11am - 3pm.

• busiest days are Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.