Multi-million pound boost to support Croydon’s sickest patients
Multi-million pound boost to support Croydon’s sickest patients
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust has secured £12.7 million to improve the hospital’s intensive treatment and high dependency units, it was announced by the Prime Minister today (5 August 2019).
The funding will allow the Trust to expand and refurbish the Trust’s current critical care wards, providing more comfortable and private areas for the borough’s most severely ill patients and their families.
The brand new units will provide 24 intensive care and high dependency beds – almost doubling the current space, and will include more en-suite facilities, quiet rooms and waiting areas to support families at some of the most difficult times in their lives.
Matthew Kershaw, Chief Executive at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, said:
“Today’s funding announcement gives us the opportunity to make some much needed changes to our critical care services.
“Every day our staff work incredibly hard, providing the best care possible to seriously ill patients. But with a limited number of beds and a unit that hasn’t been refurbished since the mid-80’s, many Croydon residents needing critical care have ended up in a hospital too far away from home.
“By redeveloping our intensive treatment and high dependency units, we can ensure that our patients can receive the life-dependent care they need in their local hospital, and in an environment that provides the highest levels of care and dignity.”
Croydon’s current critical care units have received only routine and essential maintenance since they were built in 1984. Today’s announcement will allow the Trust to bring its facilities into the 21st century and respond to increasing demand for NHS services now and into the future.
Welcoming today’s announcement Sir David Sloman, NHS London’s regional director, said:
London’s NHS offers some of the most outstanding healthcare in the world, and it has the most talented staff. But for too long, patients have endured dilapidated, outdated or over-stretched buildings that aren’t fit for the 21st century.
“This much-needed funding boost will undoubtedly improve care for our patients, helping to make London the best city in the world in which to be treated.”
In December 2018, the Trust opened its new Emergency Department after a £21 million redevelopment, designed by its own doctors and nurses and offering modern, high-quality facilities to create the best environment in which to care for patients.
Matthew continued:
“These redevelopments improve not only the facilities for patients, but the working environment for our staff. I’m very proud of the care we deliver to the people of Croydon and to all of the staff who make this possible.
“Critical care is the next stage in a package of improvements, and as part of the local health and care plan we are focusing on our services in and out of hospital. Our partnership working in Croydon is helping to deliver more joined-up care across hospital and community services as well as local GPs, social care and the voluntary groups. This is the modern NHS and I hope that our success for collaborative working – along with these fantastic new facilities – will encourage more doctors, nurses and other health professionals to join us, making Croydon Health Services the best place to be.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
- Croydon Health Services NHS Trust provides hospital and community services in the borough. The Trust employs more than 3,800 staff and provides integrated NHS services to care for people at home, in schools, and health clinics across the borough. The Trust runs two hospitals in the north and south of the borough: Croydon University Hospital is home to the borough’s new £21million Emergency Department and 24/7 maternity services, including a labour ward, midwifery-led birth centre and the Crocus home birthing team. There are also ophthalmology services run by Moorfields Eye Hospital. Purley War Memorial Hospital in the south of the borough offers outpatient care, including diagnostic services, physiotherapy, alongside an onsite GP surgery. The Trust’s emergency care doctors and nurses have teamed up with local GPs to run a seamless network of urgent care services across the borough, including booked appointments with a GP available seven days a week. The Trust’s experienced district nursing teams, Allied Health Professionals and community matrons look after people of all ages across Croydon and its Children’s Hospital at Home cares for children with long-term conditions without them having to come to hospital.
- For more information please contact the Trust’s Communications Team at chs.comms@nhs.net or 07554438621. For media enquiries outside of normal office hours and weekends, please call the Trust’s main switchboard on 020 8401 3000 and ask for the Press Officer On-Call.