Same Day Emergency Care in Leeds

CLIENT: LEEDS TEACHING HOSPITAL TRUST | TYPE OF WORK: REFURBISHMENT | VALUE: £3.9m | SECTOR: HEALTH

Same Day Emergency Care is one of the ways the NHS provides the right care, in the right place, at the right time, for all patients. It involves rapid care for emergency patients who would otherwise be admitted to hospital. Patients presenting at hospital with relevant conditions can be rapidly assessed, diagnosed and treated without being admitted to a ward and, if clinically safe to do so, are able to go home the same day their care is provided.

St James’s University Hospital, one of Europe’s largest teaching hospitals, wanted to expand their emergency care provision to include a specialist space for SDEC. Having worked with I&G in the past on their huge ophthalmology unit project, and knowing we are specialists at acute healthcare refurbishment schemes, the Trust came to us to help realise their vision of better care for emergency patients.

The solution

Located in the Chancellor’s Wing at Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust, the building the SDEC unit will be created in is currently home to the emergency departments, Wards J22 to J29, acute and elderly medicine admission and outpatient services including gynaecology and ophthalmology.

Previously, this area housed the Ophthalmology Unit, which I&G relocated as part of the Trust’s global scheme to create world class patient facilities.

Scroll across to see the works included.

Works included:

The 43 week programme included refurbishment of the existing location to provide the new SDEC clinical unit, with associated mechanical and engineering work, including:
• Demolition to existing shell and core
• Mechanical strip out and installation of ventilation and extraction units, medical gases and building and energy management system (BEMS) controls
• New suspended ceiling
• Nurse call installation
• Lighting and emergency lighting electrical installation
• Installation of fire-resistant metal stud partitions

Continued...

works included:

• Decoration
• Installation of slip-resistant vinyl floor covering
• Plant rooms, including ladders, rails and gates to deck and guarding system
• Plant room fire resistant board
• Installation of new air handling units (AHUs) to service SDEC and support existing hospital services
• Pneumatic tube
• Refrigeration package
• Ductworks and pipework supports and steel connections

Challenges

As well as creating the clinical area, a new external plant room was created besides the A&E entrance. Naturally, the A&E entrance had to be kept operational throughout, with emergency vehicles and patient pick up and drop off in the immediate vicinity.

The team also had to be mindful of clinical activities taking place in the area, with sticky mats placed at all access and egress points to avoid transfer of dirt and dust into the hospital environment, and work sequencing timed to keep noisy operations to a minimum, especially outside of daytime hours. Air handling units and ducting work had to be lifted 25m onto the roof by crane, with the work being planned to ensure roads which had to be closed and barriered off didn’t affect hospital operations.

The results

Having handed over the new unit in the new year, on time and with no accidents, we’ve now moved on to our next scheme with the Trust, Gledhow Pharmacy.

The new SDEC unit will help the hospital revolutionise the way they can offer emergency care, with new facilities including a dedicated area for clinical measures and triage, clinical offices, increased space for examination rooms and bays, dedicated clinical and staff bases, a new sub-waiting area and a new reception.

The new department will ensure emergency patients get the care they need, quickly and effectively, and are able to be rapidly treated and released, able to recover at home. This improves the experience of patients, avoids unnecessary stays in hospital, and frees up space in the hospital – a win all around.