Completion of hospital's £8million expansion

The £8.6 million project has seen the remodelling of the hospital’s Urgent Treatment Centre, a separate clinical assessment unit and a new 26-bed ward.

The work was undertaken as part of plans by the Crawley Clinical Commissioning Group - responsible for sourcing and paying for local health services - to provide care closer to home. The nearest Accident and Emergency Unit remains at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill.

Re-modelling of the Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) - a walk-in service, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year - was the final part in the hospital’s expansion project.

The centre treats injuries or illnesses that are urgent but not life threatening such as broken bones, chest infections, sprains, minor burns and head injuries.

The upgrade of the UTC includes a larger waiting area with a separate waiting area for children and teenagers, a new open plan reception desk, improved access and a baby changing room.

The UTC - run by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust - remained operational throughout the six month redevelopment.

Crawley Clinical Commissioning Group clinical director Dr Laura Hill said: “Not only will the refurbishment improve services for patients and mean they can receive high quality care closer to home, but it will help reduce the strain on local A&E services.”

Dr Ali Al-Batran, clinical director for Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is positive news for Crawley and the local surrounding communities.”

The hospital’s new 26-bed Piper ward offers care for patients who are not so unwell that they need to be in an acute hospital while the newly-expanded clinical assessment unit provides rapid assessment and treatment for a number of conditions that also do not need admission to an acute hospital.

A formal UTC opening ceremony was held at the hospital on Thursday, attended by Crawley mayor Brian Quinn and his wife Sue, and Dr Ketan Kansagra of Crawley Clinical Commissioning Group.