New improved Surgical Assessment Unit transforming patient care

From today (9^th November), Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust will see significant changes in the treatment of patients with emergency surgical needs, with the launch of its brand new Surgical Assessment Unit at Sandwell Hospital.

The new improved Surgical Assessment Unit (SAU) boasts increased capacity, ensuring patients are able to be assessed for emergency and urgent surgical procedures by a-round-the-clock team of on-site specialists. With the new facilities in place, the Trust will also bring about a reconfiguration in the management of patients with surgical care needs, with patients being seen in one single centralised SAU for the Trust at Sandwell Hospital.

Chief Executive Toby Lewis said: “The change to a single Surgical Assessment Unit (SAU) will give patients quicker access to specialist assessment, diagnostic tests and admission to our in-patient specialist beds and will enable patients to return home sooner.

This new unit is part of the ‘Right Care Right Here’ programme that commits to patients being cared for in high quality environments closer to where people live, and supports our preparation towards the new Midland Met Hospital opening in Autumn 2018, bringing together all emergency and acute inpatient care onto a new, single site in Smethwick.”

Consultant surgeon Dr Ed Harper said, “This is a new way of working for us and we are looking forward to getting it established. The new, expanded surgical assessment unit will allow us to deliver the best care for our patients who need emergency general surgery all on one site, and is in line with the Royal College of Surgeons standards and national best practice.”