New dedicated Urgent Treatment Centre and Emergency Department on site

A new dedicated Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) and Emergency Department (ED) is currently under construction at Ipswich Hospital. The two storey building completes the east frontage of the nucleus building which was formerly the main entrance to the south wards and entrance to Orthopaedic and Fracture. The proposed scheme will provide a fully integrated care code with a single front door access for emergency care. From the co-located UTC and ED patients will be directed to the most appropriate service to meet their individual needs. The UTC specifically will offer a 24 hour service providing urgent care covering the initial assessment and treatment of adults and children who present with a wide variety of minor illnesses and injuries. All ambulatory patients who can be treated and discharged safely will be managed within the UTC. Complimentary to the Urgent Treatment Centre is the Emergency Department. A 24/7 service providing urgent and acute care, covering the initial assessment, resuscitation, stabilisation and treatment of seriously ill and injured adults and children who present with a wide variety of conditions of varying urgency and complexity. As part of an additional £3.2million investment in diagnostic technology the build includes a new CT scanner which will be used by both patients of the UTC and ED and the wider hospital. The layout is fully planned to Health Building Note standards to achieve efficient workflow to enable streaming of patients to receive the best possible care, in the most appropriate location or department.

The UTC will be seen in the context of the Garett Anderson Centre and, in order to promote a more unified design approach, the architectural character of the Garett Anderson Centre has been reflected within the new building. The new development improves the existing situation, both in visual and functional terms, creating a visible and prominent feature to both improve the aesthetics of this area of the hospital and ensure there is a legible patient entrance to the facility. In addition, the new location offers the opportunity to provide a much-enhanced public realm with improved spatial enclosure, higher quality hard and soft landscaping and improved pedestrian and vehicular movement.