Building work to improve the capacity within the emergency department at West Cumberland Hospital will start in the New Year.
The work is part of the £4 million winter funding awarded to North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust earlier this year and will enable it to further develop the same day emergency care facilities we can offer on site.
A spokesman for the trust said: “The delivery of additional space will enable us to develop this work further, by improving capacity, reducing overcrowding, and improve the overall patient experience.”
Groundwork started at the West Cumberland Hospital to prepare for the arrival of a single storey build next month.
The extension will sit next to the existing build and will be accessible from the current emergency assessment unit as well as a separate entrance.
The unit will encompass a procedure room, four clinic/assessment rooms, an infusion room with up to six trollies or chairs with dedicated staff base, a reception and waiting area as well as office space.
Staff rest space is also to be improved during the project after staff highlighted this during design stage.
Improvements will also be made within the main hospital, the work comprises of, the development of a rapid assessment and treatment Room, with the emergency department.
It is planned that these upgrades will improve patient flow within the hospital and allow the trust to effectively reduce some of the pressure that winter brings.
The developments should also reduce delays for patients who attend the emergency department at the site.
David Glover, emergency care and medicine general manager at the West Cumberland Hospital, said: “We are eager for the expansion and development work to begin to the existing emergency care floor.
“It will allow us to offer a much improved service to our patients and will also provide an improved working environment for our staff.”
Work will begin at the site on January 4 and is expected to be complete by the end of March.