New eight-bay 'pitstop' opens in £15.5m expansion of emergency department

University Hospital Southampton (UHS) has completed a £15.5 million expansion of its emergency department with a new eight-bay ‘pitstop’ area to speed up assessment and initial treatment for patients who need urgent care but do not need resuscitation.

The purpose-built nurse-led space is situated within the majors area of the department – where patients who are likely to need hospital admission are seen – which means it will also increase overall capacity, isolation facilities and support accommodation.

It will enable staff to provide immediate early treatment as well as arrange and perform tests which will help identify those patients who need further emergency care more quickly or enable quicker admission to wards where possible.

The development, funded jointly by the Trust and NHS England and Improvement’s Urgent and Emergency Care Programme, is an extension of the existing emergency department and has taken eight months to complete.

It was designed by the clinical team to meet the needs of both patients and staff and will support UHS to accommodate an ever increasing demand.

The expansion is positioned around the central ‘eyes-on’ desk which will allow staff to see patients clearly at all times.

There is also a dedicated area to prepare cannulation and medications and the facility allows easy transfer for ambulance crews into the department.

A new auxiliary space also provides a larger store and utility room, central waste and linen stores and a new and larger kitchen to prepare patient food and drink, as well as a new staff room.

Rob Stockbridge, deputy director of operations for emergency care at UHS, said: “This vital new facility will allow care to be given in an appropriate and dedicated environment and will reduce queuing in corridors and enable quicker handovers from ambulance crews and other areas of the emergency department.

“It means that patients can be triaged and treatment initiated within around 15 minutes of arriving to help the flow of the hospital and, most importantly, improve patients’ care pathways and experience.”

Prior to the expansion the department had a six-bay ‘pitstop’ area, though this was not purpose-built and has had to move around within the department throughout the Covid-19 pandemic as levels of demand have changed.

“It’s exciting to be able to move this triage process into a purpose-built area designed by the clinical team and is complete with everything we need to deliver the best possible urgent care triage service,” said Carole Spratt, emergency department senior sister at UHS.

“Patients using the dedicated pitstop area will either be brought by ambulance crews or by the triage nurse and, although they are not our most unwell in that they do not require resuscitation, they are our next priority cases such as falls in older people, significant abdominal pain, chest pains and potential strokes.

“This is going to make a real difference to the flow of the emergency department and help patients move quickly to other areas of the hospital to start specialist treatment or ensure immediate emergency care is delivered as quickly as possible.”

In addition, the majors area of the emergency department is set to increase by five bays from 19 to 24 in the coming weeks with an increase in the number of side rooms with ensuite facilities.

Ms Spratt added: “When we also add another five bays to the majors area of the department we will have 32 bays between the pitstop facility and majors which can be flexed according to needs of the hospital at the time and that will be a huge advantage.

“We are so pleased that the team, who are made up of a number of specialists, can work together to ensure quality patient care continues to be delivered in the very best environment for our patients and staff.”

Gail Byrne, chief nursing officer at UHS, said; “This is another essential development at a crucial time and I am so pleased it has been led by our colleagues in the emergency department to meet the needs of their patients and team.

“Patients will benefit from quicker assessment and initial treatment, they will be able to reach their destination in the hospital or in the majors area promptly and our flow in the department will be improved as a result.

“I’m also proud to say this will be a nurse-led facility which further highlights the amazing skills and talent of our nursing team here at UHS and they very much deserve this enhanced new workspace.”