A South Essex MP saw for himself the new Accident & Emergency Unit being built, during a recent visit to Southend Hospital. Mark Francois, MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, was taken on a tour of the hospital by Trust Chief Executive, Matthew Hopkins, during which he visited the construction site for the expanded A&E Department, an £8 million project, for which Mark had helped secure the funding.
The new expansion will include eight, purpose-built ambulance parking bays, which will allow much easier transfer of sometimes seriously ill patients into A&E, in time-critical situations. As well as this, the rebuild will create extra treatment bays, including for specialist child support as well as adult cases. Mark learned that the expanded A&E unit is now due to be opened in phases, with the initial opening hopefully being achieved prior to Christmas.
Speaking about his visit, Mark said:
“I recently spent time out on the road with staff from the East of England Ambulance Trust (E EAST) during which they highlighted to me the challenges presented by the cramped A&E Department at Southend, including the current very narrow entrance for patients. This multi-million pound rebuild will create a purpose-designed entrance to A&E, plus expanded capacity inside, all of which will help to treat more patients, more quickly. I wish the project every success.”
