Jess Brown-Fuller attends opening of new Same Day Emergency Care Unit at St Richard’s

MP for Chichester, Jess Brown-Fuller, joined the official opening of the new Same Day Emergency Care Unit (SDEC) at St Richard’s Hospital last Friday, 31 October.

The SDEC unit has already welcomed its first patients in recent weeks, but Jess had the opportunity to formally acknowledge this £6 million investment into St Richard’s at the official opening, which she attended alongside senior Trust and hospital management, clinical staff, and local MPs Alison Griffiths, MP for Bognor Regis, and Andrew Griffith, MP for Arundel and South Downs.

Julian Parfitt, a patient from Selsey who received treatment in the older SDEC unit, cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony and took the opportunity to thank hospital staff for the outstanding care he received throughout the course of his treatment.

The SDEC unit provides emergency care to patients without an overnight stay, taking pressure off the emergency department and wards and improving patient flow.

The new facilities include 18 bays with both trolley and chair spaces, alongside a reception and waiting area, triage room, three clinic rooms, isolation bay and procedure room, and a clinical office.

Following the visit, Jess said:

“This is really welcome investment into local healthcare and I’ll be monitoring the impact on emergency care, especially during winter pressures.”

“I am committed to making sure that St Richard’s Hospital remains a cornerstone of local healthcare and continues to provide essential care to our community.”

The new SDEC unit is just one of several improvements taking place at St Richard’s Hospital. A new Urgent Treatment Centre is under development as part of a reconfiguration of the main Emergency Department, and a multi-million pound upgrade of the hospital's diagnostic block is set to begin soon. Next year, construction will start on a new Acute Stroke Centre that will operate 24/7, with doors opening to patients in 2027.

Jess also took the opportunity to visit the hospital’s Frailty SDEC dedicated to frailty and older patients, open this month. Jess spoke with clinicians to learn more about the service, as well as volunteers from Friends of Chichester Hospitals, who provided the furniture and other equipment.

The Frailty SDEC is an important service in an area with a higher-than-average elderly population. Staff also work closely with community care providers so patients can get home as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Jess at the official opening of the new SDEC unit