£725,000 heart unit opens at Warrington Hospital

A NEW £725,000 acute cardiac care unit has been officially opened at Warrington Hospital.
The new unit merges the former cardiac ward C21 in Croft wing with the coronary care unit in Appleton wing in the former ward A3 and enables the concentration of cardiac specialist staff, facilities and equipment for the seamless treatment, recovery and rehabilitation of patients living with heart problems.
The first patients have been transferred to the unit which comprises the eight bed coronary care unit and the 18-bed ward C21.
It has been adapted to create two 3-bed bays and two single side rooms for the CCU part of the ward and three 5-bed en-suite bays and three side rooms for the ward area.
The new CCU zone benefits from a large nurse base which offers greater observation of bed bays while at the same time retaining patient privacy and dignity between male and female patients. The unit is fully air conditioned and has adjustable lighting and designated quiet spaces to create a calming environment.
As well as the significantly enhanced care and experience benefits for heart patients, the former ward C21 has been released as a potential winter ward to allow for an increase in bed pressures during the winter period. However, the plan after winter is to develop a state of the art midwifery-led maternity unit alongside the existing delivery suite to offer greater choice to women in pregnancy.
Professor Simon Constable, deputy chief executive and executive medical director said: “We have long wished to locate all of our acute speciality wards in the hospital’s main ward block, close to acute medicine, radiology and the emergency department. The estates team have done a fantastic job within the confines of our ageing estate and our specialist cardiac and support teams are delighted with the new environment and purpose built space within which to treat our patients.”
Mayor of Warrington Cllr Karen Mundry and hospital Trust chairman Steve McGuirk met patients and staff as the formal opening of the new facility.