Ann Coffey, MP for Stockport visited Stepping Hill Hospital’s A&E department and areas linked to treating patients needing urgent care to see how they cope under heavy pressure.

Accompanied by the chief executive Ann Barnes, the MP for Stockport saw how the A&E team manages patients coming through the door, and also how other units are helping to ease the pressure where possible.

The new ambulatory illness and ambulatory care units next to the A&E department now see patients with serious conditions, such as heavy chest problems, which are not emergencies. Ann Coffey also visited the hospital’s state-of-the-art acute medical unit which opened six months ago, where poorly patients are transferred to after A&E.

Stepping Hill Hospital’s A&E department sees over 90,000 people every year – more than 10 people every hour of every day. The new acute medical unit cares for  around 13,000 patients a year.

Ann Coffey said, “Although Stepping Hill Hospital’s emergency and acute medical teams are under constant pressure, they work in a skilled, caring and calm way. It is impressive to see the steps the hospital is taking to ensure people who don’t need to be seen as emergency cases are cared for in neighbouring areas, and I hope they will help to ease the strain on its A&E.”