Nearly 36,500 patients benefit as Edgecombe Unit reaches 2-year milestone
02 November 2017
The team in the Edgecombe Unit are celebrating the two-year anniversary of it’s opening today.
The pioneering unit was initially bought together to cope with demand in our ED, providing an alternative option for specialist care and avoiding unnecessary patient waits in the department. The unit means patients receive the right care from the most appropriate senior physicians and specialists, in a dementia-friendly and multi-disciplinary unit.
Four specialist units are included within the Edgecombe Unit:
- Rapid Assessment Medical Unit (RAMU)
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ‘HOT’ (Hospital Outpatient Treatment) clinic
- Ambulatory Emergency Care Unit (AECU)
- Acute Care of the Elderly (ACE)
Up to the end of September the unit had seen 36,478 patients since its 2015 opening and the unit has continued to deliver real benefits for patients. When patients who need any of the services that Edgecombe provides arrive at A&E - whether self-referred or with a letter from their GP - staff redirect them straight to the Unit. So far, every single day, the unit is helping prevent up to 25 patients being admitted unnecessarily. This is an enormous benefit to patients, especially the frail and elderly. Importantly, re-attendance rates have not risen since the unit opened.
The unit has also helped the Trust by avoiding unnecessary referrals. This frees up bed capacity, so wards are less crowded for those patients who do need a hospital stay. By reducing people sitting in the Emergency Department, the unit is also helping cut delays within A&E