Plans have been revealed to build an extension at the Adult Accident & Emergency (A&E) department at Southport Hospital.
The investment by Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust aims to provide “a more efficient emergency service environment” for patients and staff.
The initiative would create a more streamlined system as well as adding additional treatment areas for patients requiring urgent care.
The Trust has submitted plans to Sefton Council as it seeks a Certificate of lawfulness for the proposed single storey extension at Southport and Formby District General Hospital, on Town Lane in Kew in Southport.
In the application, drawn up for the Trust by agents Lambert Smith Hampson, it says: “Currently, the Urgent and Emergency Care services at Southport and Formby District General Hospital are spread across two separate hospital blocks.
“The Adult Accident & Emergency (‘A&E’) handles both major and minor injuries and illnesses and is open 24/7 for ambulance arrivals and self-presenting patients. Adjacent to this is the Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit, which operates from 9am to 10 pm and provides care for patients with non-life-threatening conditions who have been referred by the emergency department, NHS 111, GPs, or ambulance services.
“At present, the two departments are divided by a ward and the main hospital corridor, creating inefficiencies and disrupting patient flow. The proposed changes seek to address these issues and create a more efficient emergency service environment at the hospital.
“The work comprises the erection of a single storey extension to form a new walk in entrance to the emergency department, as well as internal remodelling works to facilitate changes and efficiencies to the patient flow.
“The proposed works will relocate self-presenting patients, along with their waiting and triage areas, from the A&E to the SDEC. This shift will separate self-presenting patients from ambulance arrivals and will improve the overall patient flow and ensure a more streamlined process.
“In addition, the newly created space in the A&E will allow for additional treatment areas for patients requiring urgent care.
“The extension and internal works are designed to improve the quality of the environment, provide more space for staff and patients, create a new legible entrance point for ambulant visitors, and improve the overall operational efficiency of the emergency department.
“It is a busy department, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and the works proposed will have a significant positive contribution to the provision of health and medical services provided within.
“This in turn will help to better patient care and allow for a more efficient use of hospital space.”
The cumulative footprint of the extension is 54 sq m.
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