Emergency care transformed at Guy's and St Thomas'

A landmark scheme to rebuild the emergency department (A&E) at St Thomas’ Hospital has entered its final phase with the opening of a new major treatment area today (6 March).

The project started in March 2014 and has transformed patient care by creating a dedicated Emergency Floor that brings together emergency services in a single area of the hospital.

The emergency department at St Thomas’ sees 140,000 patients coming through its doors each year, including 27,000 children.

The new majors area is bigger and better than before with 25 treatment cubicles, a more efficient, open layout and improved facilities for staff and relatives. The final stage of the project will be completed in early May. This will see the Clinical Decision Unit move from its temporary location to a new home on the Emergency Floor.

Clinical lead Dr Katherine Henderson said: “Our new department will improve the quality of care as well as the overall experience of patients requiring emergency treatment.

“I am incredibly proud of the fact that such a huge redevelopment has been carried out while existing emergency services have remained open 24 hours a day and can’t thank our staff enough for their patience and dedication.” 

Built by Logan Construction and designed by architects ADP, the emergency department has been completely rebuilt to ensure that patients are cared for safely and efficiently in a brighter, more comfortable environment.

Dr Simon Eccles, consultant in emergency medicine who led work to transform the emergency care pathway at St Thomas’, said: “We now have state-of-the-art facilities to help us treat increasing numbers of patients but this project wasn’t just about increasing capacity.

“By creating a new Emergency Floor we have been able to improve the patient journey for all our patients by ensuring we have the right facilities to treat them all in one place.”

The project has already delivered the following benefits for patients:

• New 62-bed admission ward with ensuite facilities
• Urgent Care Centre where patients with less serious conditions can be treated by GPs and emergency nurse practitioners
• New emergency department (A&E) entrance, registration, assessment and waiting area
• New dedicated Children’s Emergency Department and 6-bed Short Stay Unit
• Improved resuscitation area with larger treatment cubicles and dedicated trauma and isolation rooms
• Artwork funded by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity to create a welcoming environment and help patients navigate their way to the right area

The Emergency Department will remain open and all emergency services will continue to operate as normal during this final period of construction.