First patients full of praise for Walsall's new multi-million pound urgent and emergency care centre

The two-storey £40m development, delivered by Tilbury Douglas, aims to significantly improve emergency care facilities and capacity – providing almost 5,000 square metres of additional clinical space.

The move took place overnight on Wednesday into Thursday last week, with the first patients arriving around 2am on Thursday.

The urgent treatment centre also set up in its new home on Thursday morning.

The first patients were full of praise for the new environment – both having used the old emergency department.

Mother-of-three Keely Ashley, from Darlaston, was the first patient brought in by ambulance after contacting NHS 111 because of stomach pain following a gall bladder operation.

The 38-year-old said: “This new place is so bright and airy, there’s so much more space compared to the old place – everything’s so fresh looking. It’s got to be better for patients.”

Publican John Horton, 69, who had had a fall and cut his head, said everyone involved should be applauded for providing a much-improved facility.

John, who was brought in by friend Linda Macklin and owns The Fountain Inn, Walsall, said: “I’m amazed to be the first 'customer' to walk in and my first impression is the sheer size of the new department.

“Everyone has been so attentive and should be congratulated on what they have achieved here.”

Ruchi Joshi, consultant in emergency medicine and deputy divisional director for medicine and long term conditions, has urged patients, their families and carers to give feedback on their experiences at the new centre.

She said: “We don’t want bad habits in our new build and want to start positively with a culture where patients feel empowered to challenge us if we get something wrong but also highlight when something works well for them.

“I want to be able to say to staff – this is what a good experience looks like and these are the specific reasons why.

"We need our local communities to hold us accountable and work with us to make this the first-class service we all want it to be.”

The acute medical unit will be the next to make its move on Thursday.

It will be followed by the paediatric assessment unit on April 26.

Imaging services will also move in this month.

Health bosses said months of preparation have gone into making the transition of staff, patients and new equipment as smooth as possible.

The multi-million-pound facility includes an urgent treatment centre, emergency department including resus and rapid assessment and treatment area, and children’s emergency department, co-located paediatric assessment unit, acute medical unit and provision for frailty and community integrated assessment services.

It also includes re-configuration of the current emergency department footprint, to incorporate improved ambulatory emergency care and imaging services.

Various specialist facilities are located throughout, such as an isolation room for infectious patients, bariatric provision and digital x-ray rooms.

Health bosses said all areas had been designed specifically to enhance clinical staff efficiency, improve quality of care, patient experience and the working environment for staff.