This improvement, made possible through the successful recruitment of additional nursing colleagues, means that more young patients will now receive treatment closer to home, reducing the need for transfers to Doncaster Royal Infirmary (DRI).
Since 2017, the CAU has operated from 9am to 9pm, with the last admission at 7pm, and any patients needing care beyond these hours were transferred to the Children’s ward at DRI. The reintroduction of overnight inpatient care has remained a high priority for DBTH, to secure the required number of specialist nursing staff to safely operate the service.
The move to open the CAU for longer will also free provision at DRI creating more capacity to care for children across the region – something which will be particularly helpful during the winter months.
This boost to the service was originally timed to coincide with its move into a new state-of-the-art development, situated within the grounds near the main entrance area at Bassetlaw Hospital – previously known as the ‘Emergency Village’ during development and construction. However, colleagues were keen to kick-start the new opening hours sooner to maximise the benefit for local children and their families.
The Trust is currently working towards plans for the service to move into the new facility, until then young patients will still be treated within the existing ward.
Samantha Fawkes, Deputy Director for Children’s and Neonate, said: “This is a significant step forward in providing the best possible care for young people in the Bassetlaw community.
“We are so happy that our children and young people can now receive care for longer periods and offer a reassuring environment for those in our care and allowing them to remain close to their family.”
The new development at Bassetlaw Hospital has started the commissioning process, with emergency and paediatric services gradually transitioning into their new facilities in a phased approach.
The opening of services is expected to be completed in the coming months. In the meantime, local people are advised to attend existing services as usual.
Find out more about the Trust’s latest news and developments through its website here: www.dbth.nhs.uk/news
