Emergency and urgent services at Stepping Hill Hospital have taken a major step forward, with initial approval now given for a new care campus on the Stepping Hill Hospital site.
The Outline Business Case for the new emergency and urgent care campus has recently been approved by both NHS England / Improvement and the Department for Health and Social Care. Clinicians working on the project have now also developed a Full Business Case which has been approved by Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s Board, and will be submitted to NHS England for final approval.
The new campus will see over £30 million spent to enhance emergency and urgent care for the local population of Stockport as well as residents in High Peak and Cheshire East, transforming their local hospitals’ A&E into a more modern and efficient building, where patients, their families and carers can expect to receive high quality care.
News of this new enhancement for emergency and urgent care services builds on the recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) “good” rating of A&E services at Stepping Hill Hospital. The CQC’s latest report came at a time when services are under extreme pressure as a result of the impact of COVID-19 and the seasonal illnesses the NHS always sees at this time of the year. The CQC praised staff for the good care and treatment they provide to patients, who they treat with compassion and kindness, and the emotional support they provide to patients, families and carers.
The design of the new ‘Emergency & Urgent Care Campus’ at Stepping Hill Hospital is centred on patient needs, with the best possible state-of-the-art facilities being made available for staff. The campus will include new assessment, treatment and consultation areas for several key emergency and urgent care services including the children’s emergency department, mental health, and medical same day emergency care. The development will see the size of the clinical area increase by over 300m², enabling more patients to receive safe care and treatment sooner.
Extending from the existing A&E, the new building will mean major changes to the front face of the hospital. The whole environment will be more welcoming and visually attractive, making for an improved experience for patients receiving emergency and urgent care. An artist’s impression of how it is planned to look is now available.
Once planning approval has been received and final approval is given by both NHS England & Improvement, and the Department for Health and Social Care, building work on the campus is set to start later in the year, with the work scheduled to be completed around March 2024. During the building work, disruption will be kept to a minimum, and plans are in place to ensure that all key services continue to be available throughout the process.
Karen James OBE, Chief Executive for Stockport NHS Foundation Trust said “We are delighted initial approval has been given for a new ‘Emergency and Urgent Care Campus’, which is fantastic news for local people. This will mean a massively improved site for emergency and urgent care services, where clinical excellence can flourish. We have seen a continued increase in emergency patients at Stepping Hill Hospital in recent years, and these new facilities will help us to provide the safe, good quality care which these patients need.”
The new ‘Emergency and Urgent Care Campus’ will be a major step towards modernising Stepping Hill Hospital’s current estate. Whilst this development is responding to the immediate needs of the population, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust continues to work with partners to progress the long term plan for a new hospital in Stockport.