Exclusive: How Chesterfield Royal Hospital's £27 million Emergency Care Department looks - ahead of its launch this summer

Chesterfield is about to welcome a brand new £27 million Emergency Care Department (ECD) in June, bringing innovations used in the best hospitals around the country, to Derbyshire.

Doctor Anthony Kenny, UECD Programme Director, who helped design this impressive hotel-like new-built, has explained what makes Chesterfield ECD so unique.

Dr Kenny said: “We looked at different trusts around the country, including hospitals in London, to find out how they make the environment better for patients. Our new department will flow patients in a quick and efficient way while making sure we are treating them in the best way possible.

"Our design is revolutionary – every single bay in the new department has glass sliding doors. It reduces barriers between patients and staff, who will be able to see every patient from all clinical areas.

“We have put a command and control model in place which means clinical bays are all self-contained – they have all equipment needed in any kind of escalation protocol in one area.

“We've bought brand new, state-of-the-art equipment, including ultrasound machines, bladder scanners, and temperature controls to stabilise overheating patients.

"We’ve worked with Philips and we’ve put monitoring into every single bay to display diagnostics into the screen in the middle of the department so we can track ECG, blood pressure, and blood oxygen in real-time, meaning all patients can be monitored at once at all times.”

One of the aims of the project was to improve links between patients and staff. To achieve this, the waiting area has been adapted and physical barriers between patients and staff at the reception desk have been reduced to a minimum.

Additionally, monitors have been installed in the main department to display up-to-date information including how many staff and patients are in the department, and how seriously ill patients are.

Dr. Kenny said: “We want to be honest and open with our Chesterfield patients. We want to tell them how busy we are and why. We feel that knowledge is power.

"Patients and relatives lose sight of how much we're doing and get annoyed while waiting. Changing the environment allows us to send a message saying: you can see that we are working hard but we are also keeping tabs on you.”

To make patients’ experiences as pleasant as possible waiting areas have been equipped with charging points for mobiles and tablets and vending machines with hot and cold drinks. Patients who will be staying longer at the department will have access to a beverage bar – serving hot and cold food and drinks.

Dr. Kenny said: “The feedback that we had from patients in the past said they were getting hungry and thirsty within the department because no one seemed to have time, or the facilities to provide them food. The bar means that if someone, unfortunately, has to stay with us for a prolonged period of time, we can give them hot and cold food and drinks.”

Additionally, the department will have a ‘waiting well area’ where patients in a mental health crisis, with neurodiverse traits such as autism, or small children can wait for treatment in a better-suited environment. The area will be much quieter and will offer weighted blankets, ear defenders, and iPads to support those struggling in crowded places.

To meet the specific needs of children, a paediatric assessment unit will open alongside the Emergency Department, accepting patients from both ECD and GPs.

Dr. Kenny said: “The paediatric assessment unit will stabilise patients who are well enough to leave ED, but not well enough to be sent home. It will offer step-down care where paediatric specialists will look after children.”

With patients’ needs at its heart, the new department also has benefits to offer for the NHS staff.

Dr. Kenny said: “We created an amazing break room with showers, toilets, and changing facilities. We also have a simulation suite that can be used for training for all our staff from medical nursing students right through to our consultants.

"It is really forward thinking especially as we're struggling to recruit staff, as most hospitals are, for emergency departments. It means that we can not only attract new members of staff, but thanks to the command and control model, where we have eyes on everyone at all times, we can operate the departments with differing levels of staff.”

While designing the emergency department has been an expensive and comprehensive task, the project is still ahead on both the financial schedule and the building timetable.

Dr. Kenny said: “We've been really lucky to be under budget and on time for a project of this size. That's something that the Chesterfield public should be proud of. It’s incredible value for money. Chesterfield Royal Hospital used some of its finances to support us and it’s amazing that we will be able to give a significant amount back.”

While the new health department may sound like a five-star hotel, the staff behind the project hope as few people as possible will get a chance to use the facilities.

Dr Kenny added: “We've built something amazing, but we don't want you to ever have to see it. One of the problems in emergency care is that people sometimes use it in non-emergencies, causing long delays and leaving patients frustrated because it's not the right place for them.

"The emergency department is supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip when you need us and no one else can help you. We have amazing doctors, nurses, and AHPS trained to deal with extremely difficult circumstances and it is a place designed for very unwell patients.”