12 September 2018
West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has today welcomed the confirmation that the local NHS will get an extra £800,000 to cope with extra winter pressures. The annual payment will help the Trust running Worcestershire’s Acute hospitals to deal with the higher demand that occurs during the colder winter months. It is part of a £145 million capital investment fund to help deliver additional beds, redevelop A&E units and upgrade wards, enhance bed management systems, and improve ‘same-day’ emergency care The extra investment is in addition to the £29 million allocated earlier in the year to help the Trust to build extra capacity and improve services at its three hospitals in Worcester, Redditch and Kidderminster. Work to improve the Worcestershire Royal Hospital is underway with plans to add extra beds early next year. Harriett commented: “This extra cash will be to allow the Trust to start planning for the extra pressures that come from colder weather. “In recent years, the Trust has been able to use this money to make improvements to speed up discharges from hospital and to improve areas to treat people attending the Emergency Department. “I expect to meet with the Trust soon and will get a detailed briefing on how the management intends to use this money to benefit local patients.”