Three Anglia hospitals will get a share of £21m to upgrade A&E departments
The East of England will receive millions of pounds worth of government money to upgrade A&E departments ready for winter.
The money is to reduce overcrowding and improve infection control.
Three trusts in the region, Southend Hospital, Luton and Dunstable Hospital and the Lister Hospital in Stevenage will each get a share of £21.4 million.
The Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced the extra money today, saying that he wants to ensure that A&E departments have the physical space to treat patients, manage patient flow and improve infection control. Southend will receive £9.5m, while Luton and Dunstable will get £5.7 million and Lister Hospital will get just over £6m.
The money will be spent on expanding waiting areas and increase the number of treatment cubicles, helping boost A&E capacity by providing additional space and reducing overcrowding.
Projects will be completed by the start of next year so hospitals benefit from the upgrades during the peak of winter.The department of health has also announced that people will need to call 111 to be referred to A&E, rather than just turning up.
The 111 service is to expand it's role and begin directing patients to the most appropriate service - A&E, GP, mental health professional or an Urgent Treatment Centre - throughout the pandemic.
This new approach will be rolled out to all trusts from December this year. It is hoped that this will mean there are fewer people in waiting rooms.
Each year there are 14.4 million A&E attendances in England that arrive without referral by 111 or a GP or paramedic, and 2.1 million attendances that don’t result in any admission or treatment.
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:
“We are investing £450 million to make sure our A&E departments are ready for winter. Hospitals around the country will be able to expand and upgrade to ensure they can continue safely treating patients in the coming months.
“During the peak of the pandemic we saw millions of people using NHS 111 to get the best possible advice on Covid-19, and other urgent NHS services. These pilots will build on this and test whether we can deliver quicker access to the right care, provide a better service for the public and ensure our dedicated NHS staff aren’t overwhelmed.
“We all need to play our part by washing our hands regularly, using a face covering and keeping our distance from those not in our household. We are determined to protect the NHS as we did during the peak.”
It is hoped that this will lead to fewer people in waiting rooms.
Each year there are 14.4 million A&E attendances in England that arrive without referral by 111 or a GP or paramedic, and 2.1 million attendances that don’t result in any admission or treatment.
Dr Cliff Mann, NHS national clinical director for urgent and emergency care, said
"While emergency admissions are now back to near normal levels and 999 calls are actually above usual, covid infection control means rethinking how safely to look after people who might previously have been to an emergency department for a more minor condition. Local teams are working hard to expand and adapt services to ensure people can continue to get the care they need safely, whether that’s in hospital or closer to home.
"This additional investment will help us continue the development of NHS 111 and provide a broader range of services, with direct booking that will ensure all patients can see the right clinicians in the right setting, and address the extra challenges posed by Covid-19 so that emergency departments can safely treat those patients who do require their services.”