Bassetlaw hospital trust upgrades facilities thanks to £480,000 Government grant

The Department of Health and Social Care funding awarded £483,000 to Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Trust for new upgraded discharge lounges, which are designed to speed up access to care and help cut urgent and emergency care waiting times.

Bassetlaw is one hospital in the Midlands where upgraded lounges are already open, with 42 new or upgraded discharge lounges opening across England in total.

The lounges are for patients being discharged that day, but awaiting for medication or transportation, freeing up beds and reduce waits for patients waiting to be admitted from A&E.

The lounges will improve patient experience by creating more space in hospitals, offering a more comfortable environment with TVs, hot meals and discharge lounge nurses to attend to people’s needs.

DBTH has also used part of the funduing to improve the ambulance bay at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

Nationally, the new facilities are backed by part of a £50 million package announced by the Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay in January to help free up hospital beds and cut down on waiting times for patients ahead of next winter.

As well as Bassetlaw, lounges are already open at Leicester General Hospital, the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, the Good Hope Hospital in Birmingham and Kettering General Hospital.

Jon Sargeant, DBTH deputy chief executive, said: “We welcome this funding, which has been put to good use at Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Bassetlaw Hospital respectively.

“A significant portion of the money has been used to improve our ambulance bay at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

“With the additional investment, we were able to increase the number of beds reserved for those arriving by ambulance from 10 to 18.

“This expansion has had a positive impact on our handover times, ensuring smoother transitions and improved patient care.

“In addition, we have been able to enhance the discharge facilities within Bassetlaw Hospital's Assessment and Treatment Centre.

“These improvements have streamlined the discharge process, enabling a more efficient and effective patient journey.”

“In all, this funding has made a tangible difference in our ability to deliver exceptional healthcare services, and we remain committed to providing the best possible care to our communities.”