Plans have been announced for the construction of a temporary building at Grange Hospital in Wales with the aim of freeing up beds. The Anuerin Bevan University Health Board has applied for planning permission for a temporary discharge unit that will be built off-site in modules and then craned into position in the hospital’s car park. The construction is expected to be completed by early 2025. Despite the initial plan to have the unit in place by January, when the health board allocated funds for its construction in September, the planning application was only recently submitted to Torfaen Borough Council on January 3.
The proposed temporary building, if approved, will be able to accommodate 12 beds or trollies, 20 chairs, a treatment room, utility rooms, toilets, and a kitchen and staff room. The purpose of this unit is to alleviate the pressure on the hospital’s critical care services, especially with the recent declaration of a critical incident by the Welsh Ambulance Service due to limited capacity to respond to emergency calls. It was reported that up to 18 ambulances were waiting outside the hospital at one point, causing delays in patient handovers.
The Grange Hospital, located in Llanfrechfa, Cwmbran, opened in 2020 and has been undergoing adaptations since. Initially meant to treat emergency cases or those referred by other services, the hospital has been overwhelmed by the number of patients seeking walk-in accident and emergency services. The current patient discharge lounge, with only six beds and four chairs, is unable to manage the daily flow of approximately 50 discharges and 13 transfers to other hospitals.
In response to the increasing demand, the health board has approved the recruitment of six new consultants for the Grange Hospital, scheduled to be in place by April. The new planning application for the temporary discharge unit proposes a location in the hospital’s car park, previously occupied by another temporary structure. The application assures that the proposed building will have minimal impact on parking and will be screened from nearby residential properties.
The temporary facility is intended to address the immediate need for additional patient capacity and discharge space. With the new unit, the hospital aims to ensure timely care for incoming patients by freeing up beds and reducing delays in patient transfers. The health board plans to keep the temporary building in place for three years to effectively manage patient flow and alleviate pressure on critical care services.
The Grange Hospital’s expansion and adaptation reflect the evolving healthcare landscape, especially in the face of increasing patient volumes and emergency demands. The efforts to improve patient flow and provide efficient care demonstrate the commitment of healthcare providers to meet the needs of the community. The temporary discharge unit marks a proactive step towards enhancing hospital services and ensuring that patients receive timely and effective treatment.