PLANS APPROVED FOR SAME DAY EMERGENCY CARE CENTRE Plans have been approved to build a new Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) Centre that will improve and integrate urgent care services. The SDEC Centre will allow specialist staff from multiple departments to come together, forming a multidisciplinary team to treat patients and relieve pressure on the Emergency Department (ED). It will allow for operational improvements and deliver rapid assessments, diagnosis and treatment in the most appropriate place, in a more responsive way. Under the proposals for the SDEC Centre patients and their families will also avoid longer than necessary stays
to improve its care provision in two tranches over 2021 and 2022.
in hospital and enable more effective joint working for the Trust’s staff across the care network. The new centre is a result of £300million worth of
funding announced by the Department of Health and Social Care last year to upgrade ED facilities at NHS Trusts across the country. A total of £15m of this was allocated to the Countess
Chief Executive of the Countess of Chester Hospital, Dr Susan Gilby said: “I am pleased to confirm our application to build a Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) Centre on site has now been approved. The amount of funding we have received from DHSC to make this possible is more than we could have hoped for and will be vital in boosting ED capacity, which is badly needed at the Trust. The SDEC Centre will help to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and ensure a much-improved environment and experience for patients and their families.”
Theatres celebrates three nurses’ long service Theatres staff have paid an emotional tribute to three nurses with 140 years’ NHS experience between them.
to do something nice for them and I ended up being surprised as well.”
Carol Francis, Vivienne Barratt and Christine Hunter were surprised with cake and flowers as a regular team meeting on Friday 3 September became a celebration of their careers. Carol (pictured left), who knew as early as six years old that she wanted to be a nurse, said: “I had no idea this was happening! It was a huge surprise, and it makes me very proud. They’re such a great team and I have thoroughly enjoyed working all my life in nursing.”
Carol and Christine after the surprise presentation When the team realised these department stalwarts were reaching significant career landmarks at the same time, they had to do something. Christine (pictured right) was initially in on the surprise and led the collection to celebrate Carol and Vivienne each reaching 50 years in the NHS. Secretly, the team discovered Christine was also approaching her 40th anniversary and decided to honour her at the same time. “Carol and Viv have been real inspirations to all of us,” Christine said. “I wanted us
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Leanne Fletcher, Matron, said: “In the meeting we spoke about the small wins that keep us going. For these three ladies to reach 140 years of NHS service between them is a massive achievement that we all aspire to reach. They have given their whole working careers to the NHS, and we are so proud of them. We are lucky to have them on our team.” Unfortunately, Vivienne wasn’t in work on the day of the celebration but some of her colleagues took her flowers and some cake round to her home later that evening.
