THE accident and Emergency Department at Arrowe Park Hospital has had a £1million upgrade.

Completed in just 12 weeks, the work is part of Wirral University Teaching Hospital Trust's strategy to keep patients safe during the busy winter period, while still responding to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The upgrade has provided eight side rooms, to allow for enhanced infection control measures.

To keep patients comfortable, the rooms have individual temperature and lighting controls and new trolleys with special mattresses.

A spokesperson for the trust said: "These improvements will help assist the emergency department team to provide a better patient experience.

"Patients attending the emergency department are met at the entrance by a senior nurse who asks a detailed set of questions to assess coronavirus infection risk.

"If infection is known or suspected they are taken to a side room. Having the additional new rooms available is helping to speed up the patient handover process from paramedics to the Emergency Department staff.

"This will ensure the ambulances are available for patients in the community."

The trust was awarded Government funding for the project in August last year.

Dr Nikki Stevenson, executive medical director, deputy chief executive and consultant respiratory Physician at WUTH, said: "Our Emergency Department is open for those who require emergency care in hospital and we will continue look after all patients - with and without COVID-19.

"A clean environment and social distancing is more important than ever.

"This extra funding has enabled us to upgrade our facilities, so we are able to provide the best care possible for people in most urgent need of care.

"It's vital that those who need emergency treatment this winter access it, and I would like to assure anyone who may have concerns about coming to the hospital, that we have measures in place to keep our patients safe."

Emma Maxwell, matron in the emergency department, added: "The department upgrade has given my team a real boost in morale.

"They've been facing some major challenges over the last year and the new state of the art facilities mean they are able provide the highest quality of care to our patients who are unwell with COVID-19, in a spacious, clean, safe environment."

If it's not an emergency, people who need urgent NHS care are asked to call 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk in the first instance before they attend hospital and they will be directed to the most appropriate service for their care.

This is to ensure patients can access the clinical service they need, first time - and avoid lengthy waits.