Great Western Hospital’s Emergency Department admitted its first patients this week.

The £33.5 million expansion of the urgent and emergency care area officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in July and showed members of the media around a few days earlier, but a few minor issues had to be sorted out before people could receive treatment there.

The 1,492sq m extension represents the biggest-ever investment into the GWH site and is 60 per cent larger than the old A&E to help cope with increasing demand and Swindon’s growing population.

Construction began in February 2023, using £26.3m of government funding and £7.2m of cash from the hospital trust. Staff moved the first patients into the department at 8am on Wednesday, September 18.

(Image: GWH)

From now on, all ambulances arriving at the hospital will hand their patients over to the new department while walk-in patients are triaged to the building via the Urgent Treatment Centre.

There are four more ‘major cubicles’ – beds for patients – and all 16 of them are more private than in the previous location, with glass doors instead of curtains and individual environmental controls like dimmable lighting.

The new ED also includes three extra resuscitation cubicles for patients in critical or life-threatening condition – seven altogether - as well as one resus bay specifically for children.

Away from the bustle of the main space, there is a secluded room for patients in mental health crises, a more comfortable observation area, and two rooms for supportive relatives.

The hospital team recommends that people call NHS 111 in the first instance, or visit a GP or pharmacist for advice, and only come to the hospital for serious or life-threatening conditions.

A GWH Trust spokesperson said: “Thank you to our teams and partners who have worked extremely hard to support the opening of such a significant milestone for the organisation.”

This milestone follows the opening of the Urgent Treatment Centre and Oxford University Hospital Radiotherapy at Swindon Centre in 2022.

Consultant Dr Liz Barneby previously told the Adver that the new Emergency Department is much larger, brighter, and more efficient than the old one, features better links to the rest of the hospital, and has more comfortable spaces for patients receiving care.

There are plans for a second phase including medical assessment and surgical assessment units, though £24m of further funding would need to be found.

Work on the hospital's first children's emergency unit is still being finished.