Doncaster Royal Infirmary (DRI) officially opened a new facility within its Emergency Department at a ribbon cutting ceremony earlier this week.
The service, which treats minor ailments, is staffed by skilled emergency nurse practitioners and supported by the consultant team and is an extension to the current Emergency Department (ED). In the coming months it is hoped that the facility will enable the Trust to better manage increased attendances in winter with the additional unit freeing up space in the main department for patients with the most need and also, hopefully, reducing waiting times.
David Purdue, Chief Operating Officer at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals, said: “We are delighted to have opened this new facility here at DRI. This is an extension to our existing Emergency Department ‘footprint’ and we are asking patients to continue to use this service as they have always done in the past.”
Doncaster Royal Infirmary’s ED hosts a Front Door Assessment and Signposting Service (FDASS), which triages all patients on their arrival and signposts those with less serious complaints to the Urgent Care Centre on site. The service’s overall function will remain much the same, however with those minor ailments such as sprains, strains and other less serious complaints seen in the new facility.
David continues: “With this extension of our main Emergency Department capacity, we can keep space available for those coming in with more serious conditions. We believe this facility will complement our current provision for urgent and emergency care, ensuring local patients get the best possible care.”
The Minor Injuries Unit at Montagu Hospital in Mexborough will remain unaffected by this change and continue to operate daily from 9am to 9pm except Christmas Day.