Stephen Metcalfe, MP for South Basildon & East Thurrock, visits Basildon University Hospital to discuss the plans for the winter ahead.
Stephen Metcalfe MP met with staff from a number of departments, including Managing Director, Andrew Pike, to discuss winter plans for Basildon University Hospital and receive an update on the hospital’s ongoing autumn flu vaccination campaign.
Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals were recently awarded £4.8 million, which means that they will be able to increase the A&E capacity, put enhanced infection prevention and control measures in place and make improvements to emergency care and urgent treatment services. This investment will allow the site to improve infection control and manage patient flow through creating additional capacity and making better use of space, in order to care for COVID-19 and non-COVID patients safely.
Stephen Metcalfe said: “Staff at Basildon Hospital have worked tirelessly over recent months, and I would like to thank them for everything they have done to get our local community through the coronavirus pandemic.
It was great to visit the site’s Health and Wellbeing Hub, which was vital in supporting staff through the initial stages of the COVID-19 outbreak and will continue to do so throughout the busy winter period ahead. I also spoke to staff from Laindon Ward’s Critical Care Unit about their regional vascular work – a new service which was established earlier this year.
The hospital is confident they are prepared for the challenges winter may bring and call for people to attend hospital when they need to. Non-selective procedures have restarted. They are open for business.”
