Where are the improvements happening?
The improvements are happening on the Clinical Decisions Unit and Ward 20 at Glenfield Hospital. Our Clinical Decisions Unit (CDU) is a specialist cardiac and respiratory admissions unit, where patients are admitted as a 999 call, GP referral or as a transfer from the Emergency Department at the Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Why are improvements being made?
Over the last few years, we have seen a greater number of patients needing admission to the unit; much of this is due to our growing population and patients having a range of complex conditions. During the winter this becomes even more challenging as more people tend to become unwell with respiratory illnesses.
Based on patterns of activity in previous years, we know that more patients need admitting to hospital due to respiratory illness therefore we are:
- Creating more respiratory capacity by converting Ward 33A (Cardiology ward) into a respiratory short stay ward
- Building an additional modular ward to help with respiratory capacity over winter
- We are also working with teams across Leicester's Hospitals to identify and reconfigure ward space for respiratory patients
What will the improvements be?
Optimising the current CDU space and merging it with the neighbouring Ward 20. This will then:
- Increase the number of seated assessment cubicles from 2 to 7
- Increase the number of assessment spaces where patients are able to lie down during their assessment
- Open up the space in the waiting area
- Improve staff access to IT facilities
- Increase the number of clinical and medical staff
When will these improvements be made by?
These improvements are set to be in place by the end of November 2018.
Building a new modular ward at Glenfield Hospital
Work to build a new modular ward at Glenfield Hospital (adjacent to Ward 20) is underway. This is a new ward set to provide an additional 28 respiratory beds (including 8 side rooms), which will partly address the respiratory bed gap as required.
The location of the modular ward is behind Ward 20, in space currently used for car parking. The modular ward will be connected to the main hospital via a link corridor to the expanded CDU (old Ward 20).
Recruitment is underway for additional staff alongside offering secondment opportunities for additional staff to work in the new ward, ensuring a complement of experienced and new team members.
The new modular ward is set to open at the beginning of February 2019.