Mordaunt’s message to Health Secretary: Our A&E needs development money.

Penny Mordaunt has lobbied Health secretary and former minister for Portsmouth Matt Hancock to back the QA Hospitals bid for funds to redevelop the Emergency Department.

She wrote to the Health Secretary supporting a comprehensive proposal for capital funds to redevelop the emergency floor at the hospital and has met with him and his team to press the case.

She said: “The QA is making great strides in improving care and in working more effectively with the wider health community, but A&E remains their most challenging issue. We need to grip this and I think it is only through these redevelopment plans can they create an environment which will give all patients the quality of care and experience they should receive, even at a time with very high volume.”

Since the PFI redevelopment of the Queen Alexandra Hospital, there have been a number of enhancements to the Emergency Departments physical space, most notably within the paediatric emergency department.

Additionally, the introduction of patient streaming and redirections pathways within the Department and across the hospital has done much to improve the experience and treatment of patients, particularly those of minors attending Accident and Emergency.

Whilst this is positive, admission numbers continue to grow. The average daily attendance of the Emergency Department has risen from 240 patients per day in 2010 to 324 patients per day currently. This is exceeded on particularly busy days where the Department can see up to 394 patients. The physical layout of the major areas continues to present a significant operational challenge and is not fit for purpose. This was recognised following site visits and inspections by the National Urgent and Emergency Care Director and CQC in 2018.

The improvement project aims to provide a single point of access for all adult emergencies at QA and in doing so will not only deliver a number of benefits for patients.