New emergency care centre opens at Newham Hospital
A new Day Emergency Care Centre (DECC) has officially been opened to patients at Newham Hospital by Dame Alwen Williams, Group Chief Executive of Barts Health NHS Trust and nurse Anne Claydon, BEM.
The new centre will allow a large proportion of adult patients who come to Newham Hospital needing emergency care to be rapidly and safely assessed and treated without having to be admitted to the hospital.
When patients arrive at the emergency department, they are assessed to determine if they can be safely treated at the DECC, either same day or as a planned appointment. They can also be referred directly by their GP, avoiding the emergency department altogether. Within the DECC, doctors can carry out diagnostic tests, offer scans, and provide treatments like antibiotics in a timely manner.
It can also act as an area where urgent reviews of more complicated medical problems like chest pain can be carried out by a senior doctor. Emergency referrals are also being managed via virtual and telephone clinics, meaning some people can avoid a hospital visit entirely, wherever possible.
Dr Lisa Niklaus, Divisional Director for Medicine at Newham Hospital says: “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. 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”.
Simon Ashton, Deputy Chief Executive of Newham Hospital says: “We’re excited to be opening this new day emergency care centre at Newham Hospital. 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.”
