Medway Maritime Hospital is one of 19 hospitals across England to be given a cash injection of over £13 million for emergency care, in the latest wave of winter funding announced today by the Minister of State for Health Philip Dunne. Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst has welcomed the announcement that Medway's A&E will receive £1million ahead of the winter season.
This fresh funding has been awarded to improve front-door A&E streaming, which means everyone attending A&E will be seen or ‘streamed’ by a GP so that patients are seen quicker and get the right care in the right place for their needs. The additional funding brings the total given to hospitals since April to over £90 million, part of the dedicated funding announced in the Spring Budget to ensure local A&Es are prepared for the winter.
Kelly Tolhurst MP said,
“This is fantastic news for Medway and our health services that have long-needed this boost of support ahead of the winter season.
“Medway’s A&E has an exciting future with the upgrades and expansion due next year, and this injection of support will help patients where and when they need it most.
“I want to give my thanks in advance for the dedication and hard work of our health services in ensuring we continue to receive the best possible care over the months to come.”
Minister of State for Health Philip Dunne said,
"Thanks to the hard work and dedication of staff, the NHS has prepared for winter more this year than ever before - ensuring patients continue to receive safe and efficient care as demand rises over winter.
“This funding will give more hospitals the boost they need to effectively streamline patient flow in A&E, freeing up A&Es over the winter to care for the sickest patients and helping make sure all patients get the right treatment in the right place as quickly as possible.”
The funding will be used to help hospitals finalise preparations ahead of winter, particularly to handle the large volumes of patients attending A&E. By investing in the necessary equipment or infrastructure needed based on local demand, hospitals will be able to target improvements to patient flow and relieve pressure on A&E.
The funding supports NHS England’s wider plans to improve A&E performance in England by 2018. In particular, it will help hospitals hit the target of admitting, transferring or discharging 95% of patients within 4 hours.