Southend’s A&E is being expanded to create more space to treat patients, while the urgent treatment centre is being relocated.

Hospital bosses say it will help create seven extra major treatment spaces, including an improved waiting area, and a new location for the Urgent Treatment Centre.

The changes have meant the front entrance for the Emergency Department for all patients attending is now at the old Urgent Treatment Centre entrance from today. The ambulance entrance is unchanged and the Ambulance Handover Units are still in use.

It comes as patients have faced long delays waiting in ambulances to be seen at Southend Hospital.

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Patients attending the department will be supported and redirected to the new location for the Urgent Treatment Centre.

Andrew Pike, chief operating officer and acting managing director at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Recognising the acute pressures we have at Southend, where the existing Emergency Department space is smaller than our other hospitals, we have already been able to utilise winter funds to expand the number of beds in the hospital to support our patients.

“The expansion in the treatment rooms in the Emergency Department for those who need to come into hospital and are acutely unwell, will help our ambulance colleagues to handover patients more quickly and get back on the road to treat urgent cases in the community.”

Patients will continue to be able to access the Emergency Department in the usual way, with more space to wait. On arrival, patients are assessed and a decision is made about their pathway into either treat and discharge or treat and admit.