Staff are now settling into Walsall Manor Hospital’s relocated Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU) which moved into the new multi-million pound Urgent and Emergency Care Centre earlier today.
The move will see staff working much more closely with Emergency Department (ED) teams as Children’s ED is in the same centre. This also creates professional development and educational opportunities for emergency medicine and paediatric clinicians.
Ciara Thomas, Nurse In Charge, said: “Our Paediatric and ED teams will be working much more closely together and patient pathways will be improved. The new PAU is a bigger space and a better environment all round.”
Student Michelle Taylor added: “It’s so bright and welcoming and much more spacious. It’s going to be so much better for everyone.”
Dr Abdul Abdurrazaq, Paediatric Consultant, has worked at the Trust for more than two years. He said today had been “full of positivity.”
“Just look around, this is a great space and very different from our old PAU,” he said. “Every cubicle has everything you need and we will be working much more closely with our ED colleagues which will lead to a better patient experience.”
Little Primrose Morris was the first patient to use the new PAU this morning.
The ten-month-old had been poorly over the weekend, mum Ellie Watkiss said, and has an ear infection.
“She hasn’t been getting any better and developed a rash which they thought might be sepsis plus her temperature was sky high,” said Ellie.
“We’re here today because she’s off her bottles too and has been crying such a lot so something’s wrong somewhere. The staff have been really helpful and to come into this new unit is much better when you’ve got a child who’s unwell because there’s a cot she can be in and a chair for me in the cubicle. We have been impressed with it so far.”
PAU staff gave Primrose a cuddly octopus and teddy bear as she was officially the first patient today.
Support Services staff were a vital part of making today’s move run smoothly.
Sue Nolan, Michelle Smith, Sindy Sandhu, Caroline Cox, Kim Handley and Kerry Athersmith all helped and said: “We have been thoroughly enjoying it, we are all in our element.”
Lynette Pearce and Jenny Done, Support Services Supervisors added: “We are happy to help with this move. We are a team and it’s been nice to get stuck in and get everything finished ready for those to come.”
Dr Nabil Fassaludhin is a Paediatric and ED Consultant who trained at Walsall and is proud to have come back to the Manor Hospital to work.
He said: “A lot of work behind the scenes has gone into today, preparing for every eventuality. It’s a big change for the team having a co-located PAU but I can already see that it improves things for our patients.”
The PAU is the third piece of the jigsaw within the new c£40m centre – the Emergency Department moved overnight on 1 March into 2 March and the Acute Medical Unit moved on 9 March.