New £20m hospital department ‘will positively impact waiting times’

A NEW £20 million Emergency Care Department at Tameside Hospital has welcomed its first patients.

Construction work at the site in Ashton-under-Lyne took just over two years and was completed over the summer.

A ceremony to officially mark the opening took place last week, as staff were joined by dignitaries to celebrate the occasion.

Among those in attendance was Deputy Prime Minister and Ashton-under-Lyne MP Angela Rayner, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, Stalybridge and Hyde MP and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, and Deputy Lord Lieutenant Wing Cdr Dave Archibald DL RAFAC as the King’s representative.

Richie Campbell, who was born six years ago in the old department’s car park in dramatic circumstances, also came with his family and was reunited with Dr Hyder Qureshi, the doctor who saved his life.

Before the ribbon was cut, a time capsule was buried on the site with items representing modern-day trends. Chosen by pupils from Inspire Academy, it contains original and new plans of the department, as well as popular culture items, coins, pictures of the redevelopment and the front page of the local and a national newspaper of the day.

Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said the Emergency Care Department – which first opened in 1992 – has seen a “significant growth” in attendance which has resulted in overcrowding and patients being assessed in “unsuitable areas”.

The Accident and Emergency (A&E) department provides 24 hour emergency care and treatment for all injuries and illnesses, free at the point of use.

The redeveloped department at the Fountain Street facility has new waiting areas for patients, improved access for blue light vehicles and upgraded facilities to “meet the demands of modern day healthcare”, said the Trust.

They added that staff will benefit from “much improved working and rest facilities, allowing them to fully focus on continuing to deliver outstanding patient care”.

During construction, all urgent and emergency care services continued – although some had to be relocated to other parts of the hospital at various stages.

Funding for the project – delivered by Integrated Health Projects, a joint venture between VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine – was first announced in 2019 as part of the Government’s capital spend programme for the NHS.

Plans were first proposed in February 2022 and subsequently approved by Tameside Council, before work commenced in May 2022. It had been hoped the refurbishment of the existing A&E department would be ready by March 2024, but it opened slightly later than initially planned.

The hospital’s boss believes the new facilities will transform care for patients and help to reduce waiting times.

“Our redeveloped department provides much-needed additional capacity and is a more suitable environment for patients who require urgent and emergency care,” said Karen James OBE, the Trust’s Chief Executive.

“The enhanced design and reorganisation will ensure much better flow through the hospital and allows our teams to communicate much more effectively, which will positively impact on our waiting times.

“I pay particular tribute to staff across many of our departments who have maintained services during a period of significant disruption. Their flexibility and patience has been pivotal to the success of the project.”

Garry Bowker, Regional Managing Director at Integrated Health Projects, added: “We certainly believe that what has been delivered matches Tameside and Glossop ICFT’s aspiration to create a class-leading Emergency Care Department for Tameside and its growing population.”