Boost for Blackpool Vic as parts of £13m mega upgrade of Emergency Department get set to open
and live on Freeview channel 276
Work got underway at the Whinney Heys Hospital last year - despite being earmarked to begin in 2023 - and includes an extended urgent care department, an X-ray suite, major and minor injuries wards, an ambulance triage area, resuscitation room, and separate waiting areas for children and adults.
The waiting room and minor injuries ward, which were expected to be completed by late last month, will now be unveiled on Monday, January 25.
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Hide AdGovernment cash helped fund the massive project, which predates the pandemic and was given the flash title of 'emergency village'.
With more and more patients heading to hospital ever year, new and bigger facilities were needed to ease the pressure on medics, who have in recent winters faced exceptionally high demand.
Emergency department boss Dr Adeline Israel said last year: "Currently our exceptional staff are working under extremely challenging conditions.
"The newly planned A&E will offer a much better environment for the staff to deliver high quality of care with improved outcomes.
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Hide Ad“It is important for the public to understand that these changes are made to prevent crowding which is detrimental to everyone’s safety. The emergency department must be for emergencies only.”
A number of services were moved as part of the project, some temporarily, like the urgent care centre which is sited in car park-based cabins nearby, and some permanently, such as the high dependency and intensive care units.
Dr Rob Thompson, the emergency village's clinical chief, said: "The new unit will include rehabilitation areas, a space fit for purpose.
"The new patient rooms will also be more appropriate for the critical care environment."
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Hide AdHealth Secretary Matt Hancock announced funding for the project in December 2018 as part of a £963m cash injection for the NHS.
Lancashire's mental health trust was given £8.2m to improve facilities and ensure that mental health patients on the Fylde coast are receiving care in the right place to.
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