Work set to begin this week to transform A&E facilities at Worksop hospital

Following a visit from former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, to Bassetlaw Hospital in Worksop in in early 2020, the UK government pledged £17.6 million to support Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospital’s (DBTH) proposal to develop an ‘Emergency Village’.

Last week the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that the business case for the project had been approved, allowing for construction to begin in the coming days.

To commemorate this milestone, an official ground-breaking ceremony will take place on Thursday, July 13.

Dr Kirsty Edmondson Jones, Director of Innovation and Infrastructure at DBTH and the Project’s Senior Responsible Officer, said: “The development of the Emergency Village at Bassetlaw Hospital is an exciting and crucial step forward for our trust and the local community.

"This investment will enable us to enhance and expand our Emergency Department, ensuring timely access to high-quality care for our patients. We are dedicated to creating a modern and patient-centred environment that caters to the needs of all individuals.

“With the expansion of our Emergency Department, we will be better equipped to provide accessible same-day services and deliver the best care to our patients. The return of 24/7 urgent and emergency paediatric care to Bassetlaw Hospital will also be a tremendous benefit to our local community, ensuring children receive the support they need closer to home, often without the necessity of a transferal to Doncaster Royal Infirmary – something which has been a necessity for all over-night stays since 2017.”

The Emergency Village project began detailed work in 2021 with an internal team of clinicians and trust leads working together with external specialist advisers and construction partners from Arcus and IHP Vinci. The project team has been engaging with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the new build meets all necessary space and clinical requirements.

At the start of the project, the team began a consultation process, involving colleagues, patients, partners, and the Bassetlaw community. An overwhelming majority of respondents, 85 per cent, expressed their preference for constructing a new Children’s Assessment Unit adjacent to the Emergency Department, enabling children to stay at Bassetlaw Hospital for a short stay, including overnight care.

The exercise also revealed that timely access to clinical treatment, availability of staff for assistance, and comfortable, inclusive surroundings were the top priorities for the new development.

As part of the national business case approval process, the architects and designers have incorporated all the feedback received into the plans, ensuring that the Emergency Village meets the diverse needs of patients and staff alike.

To support the works taking place at Bassetlaw Hospital, a temporary ambulance route to the Emergency Department was created in late June, leading directly off Blyth Road.

Anyone coming to the Emergency Department by car can continue to use the existing Blyth road entrance and park in the newly-created car park on the north side of the hospital and use the Clinical Therapies entrance (during the hours of 5am to 10pm) as an alternative entrance or take the short walk to access the new pedestrian route to the Emergency Department from Blyth Road.

Kirsty concludes: “Throughout this planned construction, please be assured that our Emergency Department remains available for patients in a genuine emergency, and patient safety and care remain our priority. If you are attending the site whilst these works are carried out, please remember the main entrance remains open, as does our Clinical Therapies and Maternity entrances.”

It is anticipated that the works will be completed by mid-2024.

More details can be viewed on www.dbth.nhs.uk