Hospital puts new unit to the test

The ambulatory care unit, based within the Clinical Decisions Unit, will provide care that is not dependent on the need to admit patients into a bed.

Patients, usually referred by their GPs as unplanned emergencies, will be seen “promptly” in the unit in order to free up beds that can be used for patients requiring inpatient admission.

Dr Mansur Reza, who was instrumental in setting up the unit, said: “We will assess them, give them a test or X-ray if necessary and medication from pharmacy without them having to wait.

“If they are well enough then they can be discharged on the same day, resulting in us not having to find them a bed for the night.”

Previously, due to insufficient medical consultants working in acute medicine, patients would have to wait longer to be clinically assessed by a senior member of staff.

Patients who might have been suitable for a same-day discharge could therefore have been admitted. The trial will be evaluated towards the end of March.