Northwick Park Hospital has officially opened a new 32-bed unit, strategically built on top of the existing A&E department.
This addition aims to alleviate bed space constraints and enhance patient care services.
The hospital trust secured funding from NHS England to increase general and acute bed capacity as part of the national Urgent Care Plan.
The £20 million project aims to reduce A&E wait times, improve patient safety, minimise ambulance delays, and manage seasonal demand more effectively.
Pippa Nightingale, Chief Executive of London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, commented on the expansion: “We have one of the biggest and busiest A&Es in the country, so this is a welcome and much-needed addition to our capacity.
“It’s crucial to maintain flow through the hospital so we have enough beds for people arriving who really need us. An enormous amount of work goes on behind the scenes every day to ensure this happens.
“The new unit will help us better manage this and provide high-quality care. We also have senior decision-makers on the unit seven days a week, which is important.”
Operational since the end of April, the Acute Medical Unit (AMU) has already handled over 1,000 admissions, with approximately 45% of patients discharged directly from the unit and the remainder referred to long-stay specialty beds.
The unit offers a consultant-led service seven days a week, supported by occupational health, physiotherapy, and pharmacy teams.
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