More patients who require emergency medical care will be able to be seen and treated within a day rather than be admitted overnight to hospital thanks to Sherwood Forest Hospital Trust’s new Same Day Emergency Care unit (SDEC).

Patients can be referred to the £2m unit at King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton, by the Emergency Department, their GP, a hospital ward, outpatient clinic, primary care or other healthcare facility.

The chief operating officer for Sherwood Forest Hospitals, Simon Barton, said: “The new unit will help us to ensure that our patients get the right care, in the right place at the right time.

“We all want to get our patients home to recover as soon as possible, as home is often the best place for their recovery.

“Our SDEC unit will help us to avoid unnecessary admissions where a stay in a bed wouldn’t benefit the patient, which is really important in helping us to provide outstanding care for all our patients.”

The innovative new centre can carry out investigations for patients, including observations, diagnostic tests and treatments such as blood tests, X-rays, ultrasound scans, echocardiograms, antibiotics given through a vein, injections and wound care, all preventing patients from hospital admissions.

Test results and treatment plans are discussed with the patient in face-to-face consultations on the same day.

The lead clinician for Acute Medicine, Nicola Fischer-Orr, added: “More than 30% of patients who may have otherwise have been admitted to an in-patient bed in the trust were treated in our new SDEC between January and May of this year and we have seen an average of 25 patients a day, with numbers rising month on month.

“It is brilliant that we have seen so many patients and have prevented these admissions, as it is so much better for our patients, both for those who are being treated and for patients who urgently need our hospital beds.”

The unit was officially opened by Kathryn Allsop, who was the first patient to be treated at the new unit earlier this year.

“It was a pleasure to be able to officially open the unit and see it now that it has fully opened after I was treated there earlier this year,” she said,

“I was impressed when I first visited, but now it’s fully operational it looks even better and is a really modern and impressive environment.

“I received excellent care whilst I was in the unit and they couldn’t have done more for me.

“It was ideal as I didn’t have to be admitted to hospital and I was able to be treated in the unit.

“It will improve things for patients as it can be a daunting time coming into hospital, especially if it’s an emergency.

“So to be able to go back home with a diagnosis and a treatment plan in place without being admitted is going to make a real difference.”

The unit is open from 7am until midnight, seven days a week, and has 25 spaces for patients to be seen and treated within the same day.