Planning begins for £20m Russells Hall A&E revamp
Planning has begun for a major revamp of a hospital's A&E department.
The A&E at Russells Hall in Dudley will be modernised after bid for £20 million of Government funding was successful.
Bosses say the emergency department is in desperate need of improvements and hope the changes will help patient flow.
Chiefs at the Dudley Group NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, said planning for the overhaul remained in the "very early stages" but that they had begun consulting with staff on the changes.
There will be a complete redesign of the A&E to provide a "futuristic fit-for-purpose building", bosses have said. The trust has struggled to get enough patients seen on time over recent years and experts believe the revamp will improve patient experience.
A new board report said: "We are consulting with our staff on an opportunity to redesign our emergency department.
"We found out in December 2018 that that our bid for £20.3 million to radically redesign our accident and emergency department was successful.
"Following the development of the Emergency Treatment Centre, it was always our intention to look at the rest of the department. We want an emergency department that better support patient flow and offers a better patient experience. We are in the very early stages of the business plan."
The cash released by the Government for the Russells Hall scheme was part of a £79.4m funding boost for NHS services in the region.
The other projects include £36.2m on a new emergency department and acute medical unit at Walsall Manor Hospital, £15.4m on IT and estate upgrades at Birmingham City Hospital and £7.5m on a new purpose-built facility for people with learning disabilities.
