Over £1m invested in emergency service developments at Morriston Hospital

Work on the new spinal and head injury ward is almost complete, at a cost of £350,000. The new multi-speciality assessment ward – to be called the Clinical Decision Unit (CDU) – has cost £700,000 and is being opened in phases over the next two months up to the end of October.

 

Dr Bruce Ferguson, ABM’s Medical Director said:

 

“These investments are a very important boost for patient care and a key to the plans to support Morriston Hospital as the centre for complex and emergency care in Swansea.

 

“The CDU will play an important role in improving unscheduled care services because this is where many patients arriving in A&E who have medical, surgical or trauma emergencies, will be assessed by clinicians who will decide the best care pathways for them, for example if they need to be admitted to hospital or can be treated in their community.

 

“This is essential in ensuring we make the best possible use of scarce hospital resources – in particular hospital beds.

 

“As well as providing a more effective service for patients, the work of the new CDU will support the A&E department, in streamlining services and pathways for patients and improving waiting times.”

He added:

 

In order to ensure that the new unit operates effectively the Health Board is also investing in additional Consultants in Acute Medicine and additional nursing staff.

 

Dr Ferguson said the new dedicated ward for spinal and head injuries demonstrated that although brain (neuro) surgery was now carried out in Cardiff, Morriston Hospital continued to offer an excellent service to the vast majority of head injury patients who did not need neurosurgery.

 

The new ward will be known as Ward E, Orthopaedic and Spinal Surgery Unit.

 

ABM has also just appointed two new spinal surgeons to strengthen Morriston’s spinal service further as increasingly spinal care is being undertaken by Orthopaedic Surgeons in Swansea for South West Wales.

 

The new CDU is being housed in the existing Ward E at Morriston, which was formerly the neurosurgery ward and is directly opposite the Accident and Emergency Department.  This will also help to improve the flow of emergency patients.

 

The new spinal and head injury ward has been set up in the existing Medical Assessment Unit (MAU).

 

Both wards are on the same floor as the A&E Department and are effectively swapping over.

 

On Saturday 21^st August, patients will begin to move between the two wards. Patients currently on the MAU will move to the current Ward E and patients on the current Ward E will transfer to the current MAU.

 

Telephone numbers for the new CDU are:

 

 

Telephone numbers for the new Ward E, Orthopaedic and Spinal Surgery Unit are:

 

Because of the patient transfers between wards, visiting will be restricted on the afternoon of 21^st August. Please speak to the Ward Sister to confirm visiting arrangements.

 

Every effort will be made to minimise disruption for patients while these changes are made.

 

 

For further information, please contact: Susan Bailey,