Day emergency care centre opens at Newham Hospital
Nurse Anne Claydon BEM and Barts Health NHS Trust group chief executive Dame Alwen Williams officially opened the new emergency care centre. - Credit: Barts Health NHS Trust
A day emergency care centre (DECC) at Newham Hospital has officially been opened, which will help reduce pressure on beds and patient waiting times.
The centre allows many adults who come to the hospital needing emergency care to be rapidly assessed and treated without having to be admitted.
Divisional director for medicine Dr Lisa Niklaus: “While we are already providing same day emergency care at Newham Hospital, this new unit will allow us to provide it in a more dedicated, streamlined manner.
Newham Hospital staff in the new day emergency care centre. - Credit: Barts Health NHS Trust
“It will help the hospital better manage patient flow by reducing acute hospital admissions, while also improving patient experience and reducing the amount of time they have to spend in hospital”.
When people arrive at the emergency department, they are assessed to determine if they can be safely treated at the DECC, either the same day or as a planned appointment.
They can also be referred directly by their GP.
Within the DECC, doctors can carry out diagnostic tests, offer scans and provide treatments like antibiotics.
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Urgent reviews of more complicated problems like chest pain can also be done there.
Emergency referrals are also being managed via virtual and telephone clinics, meaning some people can avoid a hospital visit entirely, wherever possible.
Newham Hospital deputy chief executive Simon Ashton said: “By reducing the number of patients who need to be admitted to the hospital, the unit will reduce pressure on our hospital beds, and allow patients to be assessed and treated safely in a faster, more timely manner.”
