Warning to only visit new QA Hospital A&E department in an emergency as it gets ready to open its doors

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust is opening the doors to the new Emergency Department at Queen Alexandra Hospital at 8am on Tuesday, November 26. The building has taken 18 months to build from the ground up after £58 million of national investment was provided to improve the facilities.

Penny Emerit, chief executive at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU) said: “We are delighted to open our new Emergency Department which is a much-needed investment to improve the experience of those in our community who need emergency care. The old department had been in use since 1979 and was designed to care for many less people than we now see every day.

“We are proud of the role we play as a local hospital and hope that you share our pride in the care that we can provide in this fantastic new department. I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported this project.

“Opening the Department is a major milestone in delivering our plans to improve urgent and emergency care across Portsmouth and the surrounding area.”

The new building has a additional space to care for our most unwell patients who need resuscitation support, as well as custom designed areas for care to be delivered so patients can be assessed quickly and in the appropriate place.

Other features include more natural light, observed play areas for children, and changing places within the adults’ department entrance, offering extra features to meet the needs of people who may use it.

While there is excitement to open the doors, staff want to ensure that people only attend if they have a life-threatening injury or condition.

Kate Hardy, consultant and clinical director for Building Better Emergency Care added, “Emergency Departments are not for minor injuries, but for people needing life-saving care. People from all over the Trust have come together to improve care for our communities and support the design of the new department, something made more significant as for a lot of staff this is their local hospital too.

“We have designed pathways with colleagues in the community to make it easier to understand how to access the right care when needed. As fantastic as our new facilities are, we hope people will never need to use them. But if you do need it, our teams continue to be here for those who need emergency care.”

The Emergency Department now has separate entrances for child and adult patients and they will have more privacy with care and treatment being provided in single rooms. There are also chair areas where patients who don’t need a bed can be cared for safely and comfortably.

Pete Russell, ED clinical director and consultant, said: “Building Better Emergency Care, the project behind the new department, has always been about more than a building; it’s about everything we do inside and outside of it to provide the best possible care. We are committed to working with our partners, including South Central Ambulance Service and community providers, to provide timely care for our most unwell patients.”

John Knighton, chief medical officer, added: “Our teams are incredibly excited about the opening of this new department and what it means for the care we can provide our most unwell patients. This is a real end-of-an-era moment for our staff with many of them having worked either with or in our current Emergency Department for some years.

“We are proud of the role we have played in caring within the department for over 40 years and look forward to providing great care in a new more modern space. The new building has been designed with the patient journey at its centre to improve the experiences of both patients and staff.”

Peter Ridley, PHU chief officer, said: “It was extremely important for us to ensure our patients are at the heart of everything we do. Visiting the Emergency Department can be a scary and stressful time, so we have created accessible signage and a clear patient journey to help patients understand what is happening and feel informed on what to expect during their time with us. Thank you to the patient representatives and PHU staff who helped make this a reality.”

Lara Alloway, chief medical officer of NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, said: “The new Emergency Department at the Queen Alexandra Hospital will provide urgent and emergency care in a modern, high-quality environment for people living in Portsmouth and the surrounding areas. It is the culmination of years of planning and hard work and I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has played a part in the new Emergency Department opening its’ doors.

“As well as the Emergency Department, which is available for those with life and limb-threatening injuries, local people are also encouraged to access St Mary’s, Gosport and Petersfield urgent treatment centres, their local pharmacy or Healthier Together and NHS 111 online for more minor health concerns.”