Russells Hall given £20 million for 'futuristic' A&E revamp
The emergency department at Russells Hall Hospital is to have a 'futuristic' multi-million pound refurbishment – after a major investment from the government.
A bid for £20.3m made by Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, has been accepted as part of a nationwide £2.9 billion funding package for the NHS as a whole.
Chief executive of the Trust Diane Wake said ‘Christmas had come early’ and called it a ‘landmark moment’ for the people of Dudley.
The funding will see a complete redesign of the hospital’s emergency department, providing a ‘futuristic fit for purpose building’.
“We are thrilled that our application for £20.3 million funding has been successful and are keen to get the much needed work underway,” said Ms Wake.
“Christmas has come early. This really is the most exciting news this year, the people of Dudley deserve this.
"It will allow us to provide a better service and for patients to be seen in a more comfortable environment.
“Our emergency department was built in 1980 and the demand on our emergency services has grown significantly since then.
"This improvement project builds on the addition of the Urgent Care Centre last year and is part of an ongoing improvement project of the whole ED.
“This injection of capital will allow us to radically redesign the area and improve the way patients flow through the department ultimately improving patient care and experience.
"This really is a landmark moment for the people of Dudley who will have a state of the art emergency department.”
Overall the region received a £79.4m funding boost for NHS services.
The other projects include £36.2m on a new emergency department and acute medical unit at Walsall Manor Hospital, £15.4m on IT and estate upgrades at Birmingham City Hospital and £7.5m on a new purpose-built facility for people with learning disabilities.
