Boost for patients on way with £7m revamp at city hospitals

PATIENTS can expect better treatment as a series of new developments costing £7m are set to open at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.

These changes, to be in place by the second week in November, include a new assessment unit for emergency surgical patients, a new hand unit and a state-of-the art burns unit, all at the Northern General Hospital where most general surgical emergencies and major operating will take place in the future. Many other areas have been refurbished.

Currently emergency surgical patients can be taken to either the Northern General or Hallamshire hospitals.

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However, there is strong clinical advice that all emergencies should be taken to one place where the most senior surgeons can assess their treatment and care.

By November 5 all emergency surgical patients will be taken by the ambulance service directly to the Northern General Hospital.

The new surgical assessment unit at the Northern General Hospital will open this winter very close to the A&E department. Emergency patients who may need admission for surgical reasons will be assessed by specialists in the new unit rather than automatically being admitted to a ward.

This will help prevent a bed being taken up unnecessarily because further assessment shows the patient did not need to be admitted.

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The new hand unit has been designed to provide purpose designed facilities and follow-up care following surgery.

The burns unit has been completely re-designed and offers state-of-the-art accommodation for those needing this specialist care.

A centre of excellence for gastric surgery will also be created at the Northern General Hospital by moving the upper gastric surgical in-patient service from the Hallamshire Hospital but the out-patient clinics will be available at both hospitals.

This will provide a "total gastric service" for in-patients, including emergencies, from one place which will have all the specialists and diagnostic equipment on hand 24 hours a day.

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Surgical services for urology, gynaecology, ENT, ophthalmology and neurosurgery will remain at the Hallamshire.

The breast service, including breast cancer screening, will also be improved by the changes which are designed to ensure the right patients are treated in the right place by the right specialist.

The breast service will remain at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital but will be moving to a new ward where patients with endocrine surgical needs will also be cared for by a specialist team.

Much of the plastic surgery will be moving to the Hallamshire where the specialist breast surgeons, head and neck surgeons and dermatologists can work alongside the plastic surgeons to achieve the best results for those patients needing complex reconstructive surgery.

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Mike Richmond, medical director at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "These changes have been carefully planned and will make sure that patients with the greatest needs are cared for by the most senior doctors in the best place.

"Beds and operating theatres have also been reviewed to make sure they can support the changes.

"Out-patient clinics for surgical conditions are not being changed because we know many patients find it easier to go to one or other of the two hospitals. These changes will enable us to continue to provide the best possible care for our patients."