£600k unit for children at Stafford's County Hospital sees first patients
Injured fingers, toes and breathing difficulties were among the first cases handled by staff at the new £600,000 children's emergency centre at Stafford's County Hospital.
The unit which provides dedicated assessment and treatment for young children and teenagers threw open its doors to patients earlier this week, alongside a new rapid access clinic set up to reassure parents with unwell children.
Hospital chiefs revealed that 31 emergencies were handled within 24 hours of opening last Wednesday.
And for the first time children are being treated in a stand-alone facility away from adults, who are cared for in the existing A&E department next door.
Working is continuing on a new entrance for the new unit.
The opening follows the transfer of acute paediatric services from the hospital to Wolverhampton's New Cross and the Royal Stoke University hospitals on May 18. University Hospitals North Midlands NHS Trust(UHNM) runs County Hospital after a re-organistion of services.
The development of the brightly coloured unit is part of the trust's £250 million refurbishment of the premises.
About £600,000 is being spent of setting up the new children's area that was designed with the help of families.
The trust's emergency consultant paediatrician Sue Satchi said: "The children's emergency department combined with the assessment unit will be for simple conditions that require a short period of treatment, but not an overnight stay.
"Patients with acute illnesses will be transferred to the other sites. This is a massive opportunity to have the sort of children's department where parents can bring their children and not have to mix with adults. We have been able to build a family friendly environment."
The rapid access clinic will is by appointment only.
The emergency centre is open from 8am to 10pm and offers urgent medical care including suspected fractured bones.
While the rapid access centre next door provides next-day appointments with specialist doctors for families anxious about a child's condition. These clinics run every day, including bank holidays.
Opening times are Mondays to Fridays 2pm to 6pm, and Saturday and Sundays from 3pm to 6pm.
The trust is distributing leaflets to surgeries across the Stafford and Surrounds Clinical Commissioning Group and emailing schools to inform parents and carers of the changes.
