£2.5 million PM funding announced to support Croydon’s NHS this winter
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust has secured £2.5million to improve and innovate it’s urgent and emergency care services in time for winter, it was announced by the Prime Minister this week.
The funding will not only allow the Trust to increase our ability to deliver high quality emergency care, while managing the risks of COVID-19, but will also provide additional community care services to keep people well and ensure that Croydon patients are treated in the right place, at the right time over the winter period.
Alongside the refurbishments of some ward areas and the addition of a dedicated surgical assessment unit to ensure that patients who need same day emergency surgery get it, the Trust is also working with health and care partners across the region to provide a same day mental health facility linked with the Emergency Department for patients who have both a physical and mental health need.
The Trust will be developing a community clinic to administer IV antibiotics, reducing number of patients who need to attend or be admitted to hospital for this type of treatment.
Supporting this, Croydon’s NHS is also leading an innovative ‘digital front door’ initiative, which would allow direct booking from NHS 111 into a number of urgent and emergency care facilities within the hospital – reducing the number of people who are waiting in Emergency Departments for longer than they should be.
Matthew Kershaw, Trust Chief Executive and Place Based Leader for Health, said:
“This additional funding comes at a great time, helping us to strengthen our preparations for winter, whilst responding to the extra challenges that COVID-19 brings.
“Responding to increasing demand while continuing to deliver high quality urgent and emergency care is dependent on so many factors – it’s not simply about reducing the number of people who come into the Emergency Department.
“The success of our health and care system in Croydon depends on the strength of our partnerships across the borough, delivering more joined up care across hospital and community services as well as local GPs, social care and the voluntary groups, which is why we’re also investing in community services and primary care solutions to support our growing population.”