Over the next five years, our plan is to redesign urgent and emergency care at the hospital to ensure we can offer timely access to high-quality care.
This includes huge capital investment, with a new Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) providing a new ‘front door’ to our Emergency Department (ED). Behind this will sit effective care pathways, so patients can be seen quickly by the relevant healthcare professional.
The new UTC building means that patients waiting in our ED will be seen by the right person, at the right time, in the right place. This could be in the UTC itself, minors, GP services or in majors as they will all be co-located together and have the right set up to facilitate a smooth flow of patients through to the correct team.
The new UTC:
- will reduce the overall waiting time for patients in each department, ensuring that those who require urgent and emergency care are seen as soon as possible
- is a purpose-built space with better waiting room facilities allowing loved ones and carers to support their family instead of being asked to wait outside in times of increased pressure
- will increase the number of triage spaces which will mean a reduction in private conversations being carried out in the waiting room
- will improve patient privacy and dignity
- will have more clinical consultation rooms, reducing the waiting times in the department
The new building will replace the current UTC located in the Treatment Centre.
Last reviewed: 28 April 2026