One month of the new Medical Short Stay Unit in major milestone for Great Western Hospitals

Today marks a month since the significant milestone for Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as the first patients have been welcomed into a new Medical Short Stay Unit (MSSU), following the opening of a portable 20-bedded ward.

Designed to provide timely assessment, diagnostics and treatment within 72 hours, the MSSU will care for patients who arrive with a medical condition but do not need to be admitted to a ward.

The new unit will help improve patient flow through the hospital and support faster access to care, as well as reducing waiting times in urgent and emergency care.

The opening of the unit represents the first step in the Trust’s wider plans to continue developing the hospital site to meet the needs of a growing and ageing population, with year-on-year increase in the number of people requiring urgent and emergency care and 2026 set to be the busiest on record.

By increasing the hospital’s bed base, the Trust aims to reduce waiting times and ensure patients receive the right treatment, in the right setting, at the right time, by increasing the overall hospital bed capacity.

Benny Goodman, Chief Operating Officer, said: "The opening of our Medical Short Stay Unit is an important milestone for both our patients and staff.

“The hospital is regularly operating over the national target of 85% bed capacity and sometimes, we need to look after patients in less-than-ideal escalation areas.

“We recognise that this is not sustainable so, as demand for healthcare services continues to grow, this additional capacity will create us additional beds to provide timely assessment, diagnostics and treatment, enabling more patients to receive the care they need and return home sooner.

“This is the first major step in our ‘Right Care’ transformation programme and demonstrates our commitment to ensuring patients are receiving the highest quality care, while continuing to plan for the future healthcare needs of our local community."

Plans are also being developed for the 5.5 hectare land next to the hospital, which will include a staff and student accommodation block to improve recruitment and retention, a sterile services unit and private healthcare facility that will reinvest funds back into the NHS.