Our clinical teams have been developing our new model of emergency care at Northumbria for over ten years and to see the excitement, feel the ethusiasm and hear them talk so passionately about how this will improve patient care, has been a very humbling experience.
We also welcomed the medical director of the NHS, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, to the North East this week to see the new Northumbria hospital - a super proud moment for everyone at Northumbria who has been involved in the development of our new model of emergency care. For me, it was a good reminder of why I love my job in the NHS so much (and also start thunderclapping like mad to share such amazing and innovative work).For those of you who don't know, from June 2015, the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, (as recently featured on BBC1’s The One Show BTW) will have emergency care consultants on site 24/7. Consultants in a broad range of conditions will also be working seven days a week from 8am until 8pm and available around the clock, speeding up specialist care for patients in order to maximise chances of survival and a good recovery.
Northumbria staff have been involved in the development from the word go to ensure patients’ needs are central to the design. This was clearly evident as they passionately explained every little intricate design feature of the impressive circular wards and departments to Sir Bruce as he had the grand tour on Wednesday. When the new hospital opens, seriously ill or injured patients from across Northumberland and North Tyneside will arrive by emergency blue light ambulance or will be referred by their GP. Senior decision making on arrival and fast access to diagnostics located close to the ‘emergency department hub’ will ensure speedy test results allowing specialists to start treatment earlier, improving outcomes and recovery.
It is part of an innovative new model of emergency care which will help save more lives and improve clinical outcomes for more patients across Northumberland and North Tyneside. Our patients will feel the full impact of true #7dayservices when they need them most, in an emergency. And for our patients coming in for planned ops or procedures at our general hosptials, well, they too will feel the impact with less hussle and bussle from emergency care interrupting the flow of their planned care.
Watch this space for more fabulous updates as we near the opening in June.
In the meantime, if you like what you see please join our thunderclap and share your support at: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/22910-a-e-changes-coming-june-2015
Thanks for reading, sharing, supporting and thunderclapping! Liz