Building work starts on expansion of Fairfield’s A&E department

Building work has started on the £2.25 million expansion of Fairfield General Hospital’s Accident and Emergency department.

The work which will expand and improve facilities will see the development of separate dedicated A&E facilities for children and young people, and the expansion of the department to separate ‘minor’ and ‘major’ cases to improve waiting times and the patient experience.

Building contractors have been appointed and commenced work on Monday (26 November 2012). The development is due to be completed by the Autumn of 2013. The first activity is to work externally to the department constructing the two extensions.

Fairfield’s A&E was originally designed to accommodate 45,000 patients. Last year, the department saw over 65,000 patients.

Dr Kassim Ali, consultant in emergency medicine and clinical lead at Fairfield General Hospital in Bury, said: “This is an exciting time for the emergency department here at Fairfield. All efforts will be made to ensure disruption for patients and our staff is kept to a minimum. We are a fully functioning A&E department; the staff continue to provide high standards of care to acutely ill and injured patients. We are also the gateway to a range of non-elective medical services at the hospital such as the primary centre for receiving stroke patients for the whole of the Trust.

“The expansion will mean that we will have separate dedicated facilities for children, including waiting areas and treatment areas; this will help ease the stress children face when they have to come to hospital.

“Our major cases take priority and this development will mean we will be able to stream patients more effectively, for example, so that those with minor injuries are separated from our more critically ill patients who are brought in by ambulance. We will also have an extra fifth resuscitation bay.

“The expansion of clinical treatment spaces and the improved physical layout of the whole department will also help improve patient flow and have a positive impact on patients’ experience.”

Patients and the public will continue to have full access to the A&E department for from its main entrance area throughout the building work, although there will be no disabled parking bays. Patients with blue badges should instead park adjacent to the main entrance or at the Children’s outpatient department car park. Vehicle drop off/pick up will be maintained throughout the duration of the contract.