Home > News > St George’s Hospital’s emergency department officially opened

Published: 23 Jan 2013

Dame Ruth Carnall, chief executive of NHS London, officially opened St George’s Hospital’s emergency department on Wednesday 23rdJanuary 2013.

The department has undergone a full scale refurbishment and modernisation which has improved a number of areas including:

  • The children’s emergency department which has been expanded to include a new space for a combined walk-in and minor paediatric injuries service
  • A new paediatric majors area where children with more serious injuries are treated
  • A new Paediatric Assessment Unit, which is a short stay area for children who need short stay observation or are awaiting investigations, but do not need to be admitted
  • The Clinical Decisions Unit has been expanded creating more capacity, and has been kitted out with improved facilities which mean a better patient experience
  • Additional space for the Urgent Care Centre (UCC) which replaced the Tooting Walk-in Centre in July 2012. The UCC provides treatment for minor illnesses and injuries like strains, bites, burns, infected wounds or chest infections
  • A new reception, waiting room and triage area

The refurbishment was largely funded by St George’s Hospital Charity.

Dame Ruth Carnall said: “I am so pleased to be able to officially open the unit. As one of the busiest A&E departments in the country and a major trauma centre for London, the hospital cares for patients who are in need of urgent and specialist care. It is wonderful to see what’s been done since the last time I visited St George’s Hospital. Staff are clearly enthusiastic about the care they provide and have worked hard to develop a smooth pathway of treatment for patients.”

Notes to editors

The emergency department at St George’s Hospital consists of the following clinical departments and teams:

  • Major Trauma Centre
  • A&E Major Injuries and Illnesses
  • A&E Minor Injuries and Illnesses
  • Paediatric A&E
  • Paediatric Assessment Unit
  • Urgent Care Centre
  • Clinical Decisions Unit
  • Acute Medicine Unit
  • Last year A&E treated an average of 447 patients per day.
  • Last year 1,512 trauma patients were treated at St George’s Hospital.

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