Hospitals to spend millions to help increase capacity
Hospital patients will be seen more quickly thanks to a £10million cash injection.
The money will be spent across Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust to expand outpatient areas, increase bed capacity, create a 23 hour day stay unit, and buy more theatre and surgical equipment.
Dawn Scrafield, chief finance officer for the Trust, said: “This investment will enhance 13 projects within the Trust and improve facilities across our sites, which will allow us to see more patients, more quickly. It is fantastic news and will make a huge difference to patients and the staff delivering their care.
“That includes £1.1 million to help provide extra clinic space, particularly on the Southend and Broomfield sites, to replace previous capacity lost due to social distancing, which will help increase the numbers of patients that can be seen.
“The creation of 23 hour day surgery units at our sites, costing £500,000, means we’ll be able to increase planned surgery and reduce waiting lists for non-urgent operations.”
The funding has come from targeted investment fund bids from the Department of Health and Social Care. Work on the projects will begin in the new year.