Pre-operative and Urgent Care Centre to move to new locations

Over the next few weeks, there will be some service location changes as work gets underway to demolish and rebuild the new Urgent Treatment Centre on the Great Western Hospital site. 

Pre-operative Assessment 

On Monday 12 April, the Pre-Operative Assessment Unit currently located in the Clover building will be relocated to the fourth floor of the main hospital building, in the space previously occupied by Sexual Health. 

This move is due to the construction works that will soon be underway to build a new, expanded Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC), and the service will remain in this new location for the foreseeable future. 

Urgent Care Centre temporary facility 

On Wednesday 14 April, the Urgent Care Centre will open in the temporary facility located in the car park behind the Shalbourne/COVID Assessment Unit (CAU) entrance. 

This will act as a temporary UTC, operating 16 clinic rooms and a waiting area, whilst the new, permanent UTC is built. 

The location of the UTC temporary facility has been allocated to ensure that any patients whose condition worsens can be easily moved to the Emergency Department. 

Work will be underway from Friday 9 April to start to move the services and equipment across to the new facility.

Patients will continue to be seen in the Urgent Care Centre until 7.00am on Wednesday 14 April, when any patients arriving at the unit will be directed to the temporary UTC. 

Signage will be in place from 14 April to direct patients and visitors, and volunteers will be positioned around the hospital site to also support with directions.

Three patient drop-off spaces will be designated by the Shalbourne/CAU entrance for patients attending the temporary UTC. 

The service will stay in this new facility whilst the new, permanent UTC is being built. 

New Urgent Treatment Centre 

Demolition of the current Urgent Care Centre will commence in April, and this will be followed by construction of the new, permanent UTC, which is expected to open in December of this year. 

The new UTC will boast a new single Urgent and Emergency Care (non-blue light/minor injuries and illnesses) reception, supported by a Clinical Navigator, who will signpost patients to the most appropriate service on arrival.

It will also have additional clinic rooms and more space for a socially-distanced waiting area, with separate waiting areas for adults and paediatric patients. 

This increase in room capacity will mean that patients will be seen more quickly, discharged home the same day where possible, or supported with on-going care if needed.