East Cheshire NHS Trust have unveiled a new £2.2m Same Day Emergency Care unit, which will help give better treatment to unwell Macclesfield residents.

Patients who are referred for same day treatment to Macclesfield Hospital can now experience an improved care pathway at the beginning of their journey thanks to a brand-new £2.2 million Same Day Emergency Care unit (SDEC).

The Same Day Emergency Care unit, which officially opens this week, is a new facility for the provision of same day care for emergency patients who might otherwise have been admitted to hospital.

The unit is situated next to the Emergency Department at Macclesfield Hospital.

It boasts six consultation rooms and a spacious waiting area which will meet the growing need of our patients.

The sophisticated SDEC triaging model means all patients who are diagnosed and referred directly by their GP, NHS 111, A&E, or ambulance services will be fast-tracked to the right specialist at the start of their visit to hospital.

Dr John Hunter, Medical Director at East Cheshire NHS Trust said, 'The new SDEC will reduce hospital admissions and in turn improve the patient experience and help the trust manage patient flow.

"Patients who are referred to the SDEC with relevant conditions can be rapidly assessed, diagnosed and treated without being admitted to a ward, and if clinically safe to do so, will go home the same day their care is provided."

East Cheshire NHS Trust Chief Executive, John Wilbraham, said, "This £2.2m investment is a really positive development for the hospital and the patients that we care for.

"The model which allows staff to assess before admission rather than admit then assess, ensures patients spend less time waiting in hospital for the right treatment to be decided for them, therefore reducing the length of their hospital stay.

"The new unit will also help with infection control by easing pressures in our Emergency Department at a time when capacity is reduced due to changes implemented to minimise COVID-19 transmission."

"We're really proud of the work that will be done here by our staff for you our patients.

"The purpose of the facility really is to make sure you can come, you be assessed, to get you home the same day and not admit you to beds."

Other than benefits to the patients mental health, same day care helps to reduce the waiting list for elective surgical patients.

It is not the only new unit to come to the Victoria Road Hospital this year.

The Christie cancer treatment unit will open at Macclesfield Hospital this December.

See also: Local man cycles to raise almost £6,000 for The Christie at Macclesfield, in memory of wife.

Please sign up for our Friday weekly newsletter containing each week's top 10 Macclesfield news stories, and one FREE exclusive article. 460 of you have signed up already.

Simply enter your email address into the shaded box below.

Free from pop-up ads, or unwanted surveys, Macclesfield Nub News is a quality online newspaper which produces 25-30 stories a week for our town.

You can also find us on Facebook or Twitter.