Nuneaton A&E to be expanded after treating more than 100,000 patients in a year

[dutchman]

The 'Eliot has seen a record number of people through its emergency department doors



Nuneaton A&E is set to be expanded after treating more than 100,000 patients in a year. The George Eliot Hospital is using £3.5m funding it has been given to increase its A&E Resuscitation department.

This will double the present capacity from three to six beds as well as create support spaces which includes a relatives room .It will be a single storey extension on yard space but the access and drop-off route for ambulances will not be impacted.

"We have been awarded £3.5m to expand the resuscitation area - that is the area where the sickest patients are cared for," explained Dr Catherine Free, the hospital's managing director.

"We have got three beds there at the moment, expanding it to six beds to give immediate care to those who need it in state of the art facilities."

According to a planning application submitted to Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, a small redundant electrical room and a timber covered portico will be removed to make room for the extension. The proposal will link the resuscitation area with the existing link corridor.

The existing resuscitation area will be also reconfigured to provide a one of the new resuscitation bays and the clinical support spaces.

The news about the expansion comes as the hospital continues to feel the pressure of the toughest winter yet. It has been hit by a high number of flu cases.

This adds to the increased number of people turning up for care at its A&E department. Dr Free said that this comes on the back of the hospital's busiest ever year.

"The calendar year, from January to December last year, we exceeded 100,000 people attending the emergency department for the first time," she explained.

The managing director said that, in December 2024 the hospital saw 772 more new out patients compared to December 2019. Also, there were 44 more planned operations and 114 more day cases.

"Despite all of the pressure we are feeling in the emergency pathway, we have treated more patients at the hospital than ever before," Dr Free added.