Chesterfield Royal Hospital could expand its emergency department

Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking planning permission from Chesterfield Borough Council to make the vital department bigger.

In its planning application, the trust states: "The emergency department at Chesterfield Royal Hospital is currently running above capacity and in need of expansion.

"The need for expansion is driven by the growing number of patients visiting the department and the need to increase the department's capacity to accommodate that demand.

"The application proposal represents an essential piece of development for the successful provision of the hospital’s urgent care services.

"Therefore, the local planning authority is requested to grant full planning permission for this application."

The application adds: "Capacity of the existing emergency department started to become particularly stretched in January to February.

"High attendance resulted in patients being left on trolleys in corridors or moved to other spaces which were poor experiences for patients and not efficient for the functioning of the department.

"The emergency department extension will increase the capacity of both stretcher rooms and pit stops by 50 per cent which will relieve this pressure.

"Three new pit stops will create a more efficient transfer process from the ambulance to hospital as well as aid initial assessment.

"Five new stretcher rooms will provide better environments for the monitoring of patients as well as an enhanced facility for minor procedures, suturing and intimate inspections.

"An Admissions Avoidance Team room will provide an environment to address the increasing volume of visits to the emergency department from elderly people with mobility or social care problems.

"A centralised nurse base will facilitate better handover of incoming patients and ongoing monitoring and treatment."

Chesterfield Royal Hospital’s website states on its website: "The A&E department, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, receives approximately 80,000 new attendances each year.

"The department has seven A&E consultant staff supported by five staff grades and seven senior house officers. A team of 46 whole-time equivalent nurses supports the senior nurse for A&E, Alison Bond. The department also has a consultant nurse who is leading the development of the emergency nurse practitioner service."