Newly refurbished Emergency Department at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital officially opened

The newly refurbished and expanded Emergency Department (ED) at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital (L&D) is now fully operational to patients.

The project which began in 2021 has been delivered within a live clinical environment throughout a number of phases with the final phase now complete.

The official opening was attended by the Trust’s executive team, clinical staff, redevelopment and estates teams, key partners and special guests, Gary Sweet, Chief Executive and Mick Harford, Chief Recruitment Officer at Luton Town Football Club.

In June 2022, six modern majors cubicles were created to support with the isolation of patients attending with potential infections, monitoring of higher acuity patients, as well as providing a quieter treatment area for the most vulnerable patients.

In July 2023, a brand new entrance and waiting area, a dedicated paediatric area and nine new major cubicles opened.

The final phase of works has seen the expansion of the department where there is now a further increase in capacity, including assessment and triage rooms and sensitively designed mental health care rooms.

The bright, modern and spacious areas will make a huge difference to patient dignity and experience when attending ED, and will also allow staff to provide outstanding care in the very best environment.

The ED often has over 300 attendees each day, and the expansion of the department supports the Trust with the increasing demand for emergency care.

David Carter, Chief Executive at Bedfordshire Hospitals said: “We are delighted that our new and improved ED is now open, which has been a well needed investment for our local community. We know it will make a huge difference to the staff providing care and those patients receiving it.

“The difficulty of rebuilding an ED whilst keeping it running 24/7 cannot be underestimated, so I would like to thank all involved for delivering this project.”

Dr Ahmad Mchaourab, Consultant for Emergency Medicine and ED Redevelopment Lead at the L&D said: “With the final work now complete, we look forward to continuing to provide the very best care for our patients in a modern and purpose-built environment.”

Stewart Brundell, Managing Director at Willmott Dixon said: “We are incredibly proud to be handing over this facility, which will serve the local community for generations to come. It’s been fantastic to hear the difference it will make to the amazing staff who will benefit daily from what we’ve provided. It really is a testament to the hard work, collaboration, and a shared commitment to excellence by all those involved in delivering this project.”