A medic helping to oversee the development of Great Western Hospital's new Emergency Department has explained how it will make a big difference for both patients and staff. Consultant Dr Liz Barneby has been a member of the project's team for five years, along with other high-ranking doctors leading on medicine and paediatrics, and agreed that the difference between the old and new Emergency Departments was like night and day. She said: "We're all a bit crowded in the old Emergency Department so it’s nice to spread that out and this will allow staff to be more efficient.
The old space was quite cramped and dark, so it will be transformational to move into this space. "One of the biggest issues in our current department is that staff are on top of each other all the time, we've got one big communications staff that a lot of staff groups need to use which creates a lot of crowding and waiting for computers. "We've separated out processes and staff bases, and all the cubicles are observed - and it has windows! "Hardly any emergency department I've worked in has had actual daylight in them, so it's a great joy to have windows and natural light coming in.
"It's all a lot larger, so there's more space per patient - it's a more comfortable environment." “It’s been a joy to show staff around on tour after tour – their eyes light up, they are in awe of it all, and I’m really proud to work with them. "We have changed a lot of processes knowing it will translate to this new de.