Polly has attended the official opening of a new Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.
The new facility will provide faster assessment, diagnosis and treatment for patients who need urgent medical or surgical care but may not need to stay in hospital overnight. It is expected to accommodate more than 100 patients a day, helping to reduce pressure on the hospital’s Emergency Department and avoid unnecessary admissions.
Polly previously visited the developing unit earlier this year, welcoming the investment and highlighting the importance of improving emergency care for local residents.
The new SDEC unit forms part of a wider £28.95 million investment in emergency care facilities at QEQM and William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.
For people across Thanet, the opening is an important development in local healthcare. By enabling more patients to receive specialist treatment and return home on the same day, the facility can help patients be seen quicker and reduce pressure on A&E and hospital bed space.
Polly said she was proud of the investment the government was making in the NHS in Thanet, because ensuring local residents have access to high-quality emergency healthcare close to home was one of her highest priorities.