A NEW medical unit to help ease waiting times in the accident and emergency department at Warrington Hospital is set to open later this month.

The unit is part of a package of measures, costing more than £400,000, being introduced to tackle winter pressures over Christmas and the Millennium.

The unit will provide short term beds for accident and emergency patients away from the hustle and bustle of the busy department and ensure that if patients need to be admitted they will go to the right department - cutting down on wasted staff time.

Other time saving measures include employing a staff grade physician to provide back-up to inexperienced junior doctors.

Martin Hodgson, who manages emergency care in the hospital, told a meeting of the Warrington Hospital NHS Trust: "Last year, we noticed that in A and E it was junior doctors who saw the majority of patients.

"Often they felt they had no option but to admit a patient. But if more senior doctors are available it may increase options and cut down on admissions."

During the height of the winter pressure, the Trust will increase its bed capacity by 19 beds and from December 20 to January 9, the critical Christmas and New Year period, bed managers will be on site seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

Additional demands on mortuary facilities will be met by extra refrigerated accommodation and support from undertakers.

Hospital chiefs stress that the dignity of the deceased and needs of the bereaved will be considered at all times.

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