The James Paget has had plans approved which will support the movement of its Orthopaedic Outpatient services to a new location on the existing hospital site, to facilitate the development of an improved Same Day Emergency Care service.
The hospital has received funding from NHS England to create a boosted Same Day Emergency Care Service, which is a way of providing care that allows specialists at the hospital to assess, diagnose and treat patients on the same day of arrival, who would otherwise have been admitted to hospital for an overnight stay.
The expanded service will increase the number of spaces for patients receiving Same Day Emergency Care to 20, in comparison to the nine spaces available currently, and will be located on the ground floor, in the treatment rooms currently used for Orthopaedic Outpatient services.
This location is next to the current Emergency Department and Emergency Assessment Discharge Unit, and the capital funding received by the hospital will be used to convert and update the internal environment, equipment and facilities for staff and patients.
To accommodate this, Orthopaedic Outpatient services – also known as the Fracture Clinic – will move into a new temporary building situated next to the recently opened James Paget Orthopaedic Centre. The hospital has received planning permission for the development of this building, which will be constructed off site using modern methods of construction, and delivered and installed in units.
Delivered by construction partner Darwin Group, the new Orthopaedic Outpatient Centre will feature nine consultation and examination room and a modernised plaster bay, as well as improved staff office and rest areas. The new unit will arrive at the hospital and be installed in March 2025, with opening scheduled for May.
Charlotte Dillaway, Chief Operating Officer at James Paget University Hospital, said: “We’re delighted to proceed with our plans to move our Orthopaedic Outpatient services into a new, modern environment, which will improve the quality of service we provide to people recovering from fractures.
“This also allows the James Paget to rapidly expand and improve the same day emergency care we provide and increase the amount of patients receiving assessment, diagnosis, treatment and discharge on the day they arrive, without the need to be admitted.”
The new Orthopaedic Outpatient Centre is designed as a temporary building that will support the hospital and local patients while the planning and construction of the full new James Paget hospital takes places over the coming years.
The Department of Health and Social Care recently confirmed the James Paget’s rebuild will begin in 2027-28, with an indicative budget of £1-1.5 billion.
The James Paget has received £4.2m of capital funding from NHS England to develop and create the new Orthopaedic Outpatient Centre building, and refurbish the new Same Day Emergency Care service area in the space vacated by the Fracture Clinic.
Nick Dawe, Managing Director at Darwin Group, said:
“We’re thrilled that the Trust has secured planning permission to relocate their Orthopaedic Outpatient Centre alongside the recently opened James Paget Orthopaedic Centre. The co-location of these services will ensure patients receive the highest quality care in buildings fit for modern medicine.
“The Trust’s approach to seamlessly integrating both Permanent and On-Demand solutions from Darwin Group demonstrates healthcare estate flexibility and a commitment to future resilience. On-Demand healthcare facilities provide immediate relief to changing needs and support future adaptability as care requirements evolve.”
