A hospital unit aimed at reducing waiting times and overnight hospital admissions has treated more than 15,000 patients in its first year.

The Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) Unit at King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton, provides diagnostic tests, treatment, and care that would previously have required a short hospital admission or been managed within the hospital’s already busy Emergency Department.

Just 10% of patients who are seen on the £2m purpose-built unit go on to need an overnight stay.

Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust’s Acute Medicine Service, which runs the unit, has also been acknowledged as a national example of best practice by Getting It Right First Time — a national programme designed to improve the treatment and care of patients by sharing best practice among NHS organisations.

Dan Exell (above), lead nurse on the unit, said: “It’s important to realise that hospital isn’t always the best place for every patient to recover.

“For example, some patients with dementia who are used to a very specific routine, environment, and their recognised carers can potentially become quite unsettled or disorientated by any changes to these factors.

“Most patients prefer to be in their own environment if possible and this can really help to aid their recovery.

“Rather than being admitted to hospital, if patients require further treatment but are well enough in themselves, they can now receive their treatment at the unit and then go home to recover in their own home.

“This is a much better option for them and frees up beds for our sickest patients.”

The unit, which includes 25 treatment spaces and five examination rooms, is staffed by a team of 15 in peak hours.

Mansfield resident Michaela Carlyle experienced the benefits of the SDEC first-hand. She was recently referred to the unit for daily treatment for the skin condition cellulitis after her body reacted badly to a tattoo, and again to receive antibiotics for an infected ant bite.

After experiencing a hospital admission in the past due to cellulitis, Michaela much prefers to be treated on SDEC. She said: “I would highly recommend attending the SDEC over being admitted to hospital.

“The staff are lovely, making you feel comfortable and welcomed. There is always someone around to answer any questions. It’s great because it means I’m not sitting around waiting for my next round of treatment when I could otherwise be recovering at home.”

Common conditions treated on the unit are cellulitis, low-risk cardiac chest pain, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, heart failure, hypertension, headache, and atrial fibrillation. The unit carries out observations, diagnostic tests, blood tests, X-rays, cannulas, echocardiograms, injections, wound care, ultrasound scans, test results, and consultations.

Open from 7am to midnight, patients can be referred to the unit by the hospital’s Emergency Department, their GP, a hospital ward, outpatient clinic, primary care or other healthcare provider.