A new 18 bed ward at the Royal Sussex County Hospital will welcome its first patients this Sunday (24 February).
The ward in the Thomas Kemp Tower will provide specialist care for trauma and orthopaedic patients and is the result of an ongoing investment programme which is improving and developing services across the trust.
Dr George Findlay, Chief Medical Officer for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust said:
“Opening this ward will increase the number of beds we have which will allow us to treat patients more quickly and help ease pressure on our busy Emergency Departments. More importantly this will help us improve the experience of our patients by ensuring they are in the right place to receive the most appropriate specialist care.”
“The opening of the ward is also in line with our broader plans to increase the number of patients we look after while improving their journey through our hospitals, from admission to discharge. This will also support our staff, making it easier for them to continue to deliver outstanding care.”
In addition to opening the new ward (which will be called Level 11 West), the Trust is working with community partners on a range of measures to help medically ready patients leave hospital sooner. These include:
- Improving discharge processes so patients can get home earlier in the day
- Increasing homecare support
- Increasing the number of community beds
- Increasing the provision of services supporting patient discharges
