QEQM to receive £4m to upgrade A&E ahead of winter

The A&E Department at QEQM is set to receive an additional £4m in order to support capacity ahead of the winter months.

The £4m will be used to expand and upgrade A&E facilities at the Hospital in Margate, ensuring they have enough space to treat patients, manage patient flow and improve infection control. It will be used to expand the Emergency Department and improve patient flow. Further clinical treatment space will also be created, and major trauma cubicles will be extended.

The funding is part of £150 million to be shared across 25 A&Es, with the money being used to expand waiting areas and increase the number of treatment cubicles. It is on top of the £300 million provided by the Government to upgrade A&Es announced in August – taking the total investment in A&Es this winter to £450 million.

The announcement also comes on top of the additional £3 billion that the Prime Minister recently promised to help prepare the NHS for the winter months ahead. This funding will allow the NHS to continue to use the extra hospital capacity acquired from the independent sector through the coronavirus pandemic, and also to maintain the Nightingale hospitals until the end of March next year.

South Thanet MP, Craig Mackinlay, has welcomed the funding: 

“Staff at QEQM are continuing to work tirelessly through this coronavirus pandemic and we are all very grateful for all that they do.

“While I hope for the best this winter, its right that we plan for the worst. This £4m of funding to upgrade A&E in Margate will ensure that QEQM is in the best possible position for the challenges that the winter months may bring.

“As a Conservative, I was re-elected last December on a promise to level up the health service across the country. We are getting on with doing exactly that.”

Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, added: 

“We are investing £450 million to make sure our A&E departments are ready for winter. Hospitals around the country will be able to expand and upgrade to ensure they can continue safely treating patients in the coming months.

“During the peak of the pandemic we saw millions of people using NHS 111 to get the best possible advice on Covid-19, and other urgent NHS services. These pilots will build on this and test whether we can deliver quicker access to the right care, provide a better service for the public and ensure our dedicated NHS staff aren’t overwhelmed.

“We all need to play our part by washing our hands regularly, using a face covering and keeping our distance from those not in our household. We are determined to protect the NHS as we did during the peak.”

You are able to keep up to date with our articles, news and publications by following us on our social media channels below:

 HOME