The NHS has been under increasing pressure of late with a shortage of beds, increase patients at accident and emergency not to mentioned Doctors and Nurses enduring a continued pay freeze, recently lifted.
However, that could all be about to change as the Torbay and South Devon NHS have secured £13m pounds worth of additional funding. The Department for Health announced the new funding on the 28th March and is aimed at helping and improving urgent care centres.
Alongside the urgent care centres the funding will also help deliver a major refurbishment at Torbay’s A & E department, a long overdue project.
Speaking at the announcement of the new funding, Dr Rob Dyer, Medical Director said:
This is fantastic news for the people of Torbay and South Devon. Urgent Care Centres will enable us to work closer with our GP colleagues to provide a range of emergency services in purpose-built environments which will better meet our patients’ clinical needs. This is a big step forward in delivering our new model of care to provide health and care services to our local people.
Urgent Care Centres will offer a greater range of services than an MIU, with enhanced diagnostics facilities, so staff will be able to assess and treat a wider range of conditions. We expect this to be of particular benefit to some of our older patients who come in with multiple, complex long-term conditions. Our staff will have greater access to diagnostic tests during assessment and will then be able to organise support in the community for some people who might otherwise end up being admitted via ED to a hospital bed, whilst waiting for tests.
We are particularly delighted that we will be able to enhance, extend and refurbish the Emergency Department at Torbay Hospital. It is in sore need of redevelopment and our plans will offer people more comfort, privacy and dignity, whilst creating a modern, up to date working environment for our hard-working and committed teams of staff. Our staff and partners do an amazing job of providing high quality care, but they are really hampered by the cramped and ageing facilities.
Jeremy Hunt MP & Health Secretary tweeted:
Pleased to meet Torbay MP @kevin_j_foster to discuss the £13.3m of funding being announced to improve @TorbaySDevonNHS emergency & urgent care. #Nowisthetime to invest in transforming services for patients. #BoostTorbay pic.twitter.com/9TQ1H0sZiD
— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) March 28, 2018
Our local MP also tweeted back with:
Great to meet @Jeremy_Hunt to discuss this major investment in @TorbaySDevonNHS services a key ask of the #nowisthetime campaign #BoostTorbay #Torbayhour https://t.co/hQQP0MxqUg
— Kevin Foster (@kevin_j_foster) March 28, 2018
The trust, together with their partners will now develop the plans necessary to deliver detailed plans that will provide the basis for improvements to the buildings, environment and the overall service of care we all receive.
Improvements will include:
- A new-build extension Emergency department to provide a new ED majors area at Torbay Hospital to provide and address the major privacy and safety concerns for adults and children arriving via Ambulance
- A brand new build Urgent Care Centre in Torquay built within the hospital grounds with integrated imaging/diagnostics and GP’s co-located within the centre
- Continued investment in the services already received by the people of Torbay and South Devon
- Easier access to care services from bus stops
