Community

Albion Stars Open Ambulatory Care Unit

By Kieran Cleeves • 28 March 2018

Brighton & Hove Albion players Bruno and Anthony Knockaert cut the ribbon to open a brand new Emergency Ambulatory Care Unit (EACU) at the Royal Sussex County Hospital yesterday.

The new combined ambulatory unit is part of A&E and is one of the first in the country where medical and surgical teams work alongside each other to treat emergency patients who don't need to stay in overnight.

This allows such patients to move quicker from initial triage to receiving treatment. It also frees up space in A&E and on the other wards for patients who are more seriously unwell.

Albion captain Bruno travelled to the hospital after another training session at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre, and the Spaniard was delighted to be part of the opening.

He said, “We’re here because it’s a big day for our hospital in Brighton. It’s a big improvement in facilities and that’s really good for the community.

“Of course, nobody wants to be here, but if you’re going to come to hospital and need treatment, the new facilities are spot on.

“It’s so tough to work in hospitals, because people are going through tough times and working so many hours - but seeing how happy the staff are to be working here, that’s also really important.”

Anthony Knockaert also added, “Me and Bruno are really happy to be here for the opening of the new unit in A&E. We wanted to show our support and you can see it’s a really good area they’ve built.

“It’s important for them to have this new section of the building for the patients, to make them and the staff feel more comfortable every day.”

The Emergency Ambulatory Care Unit has nine treatment rooms, six treatment spaces, three procedure rooms, two side rooms and an IV therapy area that can accommodate 14 patients.

It’s the first phase in a broader programme of improvements to A&E at the hospital, and Rob Galloway, who works as a crowd doctor on matchdays at the Amex Stadium, stressed the importance of having the brand new facility.

“The A&E department struggles quite a lot in terms of overcrowding and the flow of the department, and the Ambulatory Care Unit can suck patients into that unit.

“It will save them having to be looked after in A&E and give them much more dignified care. It will provide an improved outcome for our patients and that’s massively important.

“Albion and the hospital have a great link, so to have Bruno and Anthony Knockaert come here and open the new ward was brilliant.”