Same Day Emergency Care Unit welcomes first patients

The Acute Medical Rapid Assessment Unit (AMRAU) aims to investigate, treat, and discharge patients on the same day, freeing up space at Royal Stoke University Hospital’s emergency department and other acute medical wards.

The unit provides an additional 16 beds and 10 trolley spaces for patients referred from A&E, as well as those sent by GPs.

Simon Evans, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) chief operating officer said: “This new unit provides important additional beds for patients with medical conditions at UHNM, improving our ability to see, assess and treat patients more quickly, safely, and efficiently. It increases the number of patients we will be able to treat and discharge on the same day, reducing the demand on our wards and ensuring our patients receive the best possible experience.”

Patients on AMRAU are treated in four bed bays and two trolley bays where patients can be transferred into. The unit also offers eight en-suite side rooms.

Alion Jepson, AMRAU matron, said: “After a year of building and planning, staff on the unit are all incredibly excited to welcome our first patients. The brand-new and purpose-built facilities on AMRAU are fantastic and patients can expect the highest standard of care, provided in a professional and timely manner helping them to get back to their place of living as quickly as possible.

"Our staff will benefit from brand-new facilities too, including comfortable and air-conditioned rest, meal and shower areas.”

Joe Pawlowski was the unit’s first patient, referred to AMRAU by A&E at Royal Stoke after suffering a seizure.

The 39-year-old from Newcastle-under-Lyme, who was discharged later the same morning, said: “These new facilities at UHNM are very nice. The staff have been brilliant, and I hope everything goes well for them on the unit in the future.”

Cath Smith, a staff nurse on AMRAU, has worked in acute care at UHNM for 46 years.

Cath said: “I feel excited to be part of the opening of this new unit, it’s the start of a new era of acute care at UHNM and there’s exciting times ahead. It’s a huge space with great facilities and I’m looking forward to getting started. I love my job here at UHNM, and love the people I work with, it’s a real team effort.”

Paul Raden, the unit’s housekeeper, has worked at UHNM for 14 years. He said: "It was a big effort to get everything up and running, but it was all worth it as everything is looking good. The staff here are great, and I’m looking forward to my new role working on a well-equipped and purpose-built unit.”

The opening of AMRAU has also provided several new roles including healthcare assistants, pharmacists and medical staff.

Ben Platt, a student nurse said: “It’s a lovely, new, spacious unit with some great kit, and I can’t wait to get started providing the best possible patient care.”

The purpose-built unit, which sits next to the Royal Stoke’s A&E department and Staffordshire Children’s Hospital at Royal Stoke, has been built with sustainability in mind, featuring several solar panels on the roof, with heating and hot water provided by carbon-neutral heat pumps.

The unit also features a comfortable and well-furnished patient and staff breakaway room, made possible thanks to UHNM Charity funding.