Staff at Addenbrooke's Hospital have been putting the finishing touches to the new Emergency Assessment Unit (EAU), and from this week are welcoming the first patients to the new facilities.

The EAU has come a long way since September last year when the 68 modular units or 'building blocks' that made up the unit were dropped into place. Over the last six months building work has continued inside the unit to make it ready to open its doors to its first patients.

The unit will change the way emergency care is organised in the hospital. It will provide one 'front door' for emergencies instead of the current two - the Accident and Emergency department and the Medical Assessment Unit (MAU), which are situated at opposite ends of the hospital.

Patients will be assessed on arrival in the Emergency Department (ED) adjacent to the EAU by an integrated multi-professional team including doctors, nurses and other staff who will make early decisions about treatment and care. This will enable the team to decide whether patients can be discharged, managed within the EAU or need a specialist opinion or possible admission to the main hospital.

The unit will feature medical and surgical short-stay wards and an adult Clinical Decision Unit and a Children's Observation Unit, improved access to radiology facilities and rapid pathology testing, plus rapid access clinic facilities for emergency patients.

Sandra Myers, Emergency Care Lead, said: "This has been a really challenging but exciting development. We have had the opportunity to redesign the services we provide for our emergency patients ourselves and build a facility to help us deliver this service."

The Clinical Decision Unit, an area for observation or treatment and further clinical decision-making, is already open to patients. Over the next few weeks the other areas of the EAU will become occupied and will be up and running. The official opening will take place in June.

PRESS

You are invited to a tour of the EAU on Tuesday 18 April 2006 at 1300 before it fully opens to the public. You will be able to see the Children's Observation Unit, Emergency Clinics and the Surgical Short-Stay Emergency Unit, and will meet staff who will be working in the new facilities. Please call Emma Oram, Press Officer, on 01223 274433, before 18 April if you would like to attend.


Last updated: 18 April 2006