Queen's Hospital in Romford has secured £42 million in funding to rebuild its accident and emergency department, following a campaign lasting almost two years. The funding was confirmed by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Trust on Monday.
Addressing Overcrowding and Long Waits
The current A&E, originally built in 2006 to care for 325 patients daily, now routinely treats more than twice that number. The trust has previously described the department as not fit-for-purpose, with no waiting area and the rapid assessment and focused treatment emergency department used "inappropriately" due to overcrowding. Patients currently have to walk 335 steps from the Queen's entrance to the adult A&E, a distance the new facility will reduce to 50 steps.
NHS England figures released last year showed the trust had the third longest A&E waiting times in London. The new A&E will include dedicated waiting areas, an improved layout for staff to monitor patients, a redesign of patient flow, more natural light, a combined corridor and assessment area, and a dedicated resuscitation area. The children's A&E will also be revamped.
Local Campaign and Funding Details
The improvements to the children's A&E had been a focus of a campaign led by local families and Margaret Mullane, the Labour MP for Dagenham and Rainham. Fiona Wheeler, interim chair of the trust, said the redevelopment would "restore dignity" and "improve safety" for patients, and create conditions for staff to "deliver the best possible care".
In a statement, Ms Wheeler said: "This is a landmark moment for our residents and our staff. The £42m allows us to build on the work our teams have already done to improve the service we provide in our A&E, reduce waiting times and the need for corridor care. It will put an end to staff working in cramped conditions and create a better clinical environment." She added: "We're looking forward to getting the spades in the ground and transforming our A&E into one we can be proud of."
Part of Wider Investment
The funding is part of a £140m boost for urgent care announced by Health Secretary Yvette Cooper ahead of a "tough" winter. The Department for Health said the investment "should help reduce waiting times, corridor care and pressure on staff". As part of the wider package, emergency departments across London will share £18.4m over three years for digital check-in and triage tools.
The trust had previously faced financial challenges, with former chief executive Matthew Trainer saying in September that outgoings were "£2 million to 3 million a month more than we can afford".
