Health Minister opens new Urgent Care Centre at Ulster Hospital
Date published:
Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt today officially opened the new Urgent Care Centre (UCC) at the Ulster Hospital.
Maggie Magowan, Interim Clinical Manager, Unscheduled Care, South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust (SEHSCT); Roisin Coulter, Chief Executive, SEHSCT; Health Minister Mike Nesbitt and Jonathan Patton, Chairman, SEHSCT.
The Urgent Care Centre - which is open seven days a week from 8.00am to 6.00pm - is designed to separate and treat non-critical cases from those that need to attend the Emergency Department.
Welcoming the expansion to the Ulster hospital the Health Minister said: “The new Urgent Care Centre is purpose built and represents a major change to unscheduled care services at the Ulster Hospital, helping to deliver modern healthcare to the population in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust area.
“Through its integration with the Emergency Department (ED), the Urgent Care centre will also improve patient flow, reduce ED pressures and optimise care. It will not only enhance but will significantly improve the patients’ experience. Therefore, they will be seen in the right place, by the right people at the right time, and that will lead to better outcomes for patients.
“It represents a significant capital and service development and advances my Department’s commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Emergency and Urgent Care Review which highlighted the need to better integrate Urgent and Emergency Care in Trusts, which this investment delivers.”
Maggie Magowan, Interim Clinical Manager, Unscheduled Care, South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust (SEHSCT); Roisin Coulter, Chief Executive, SEHSCT; Health Minister Mike Nesbitt and Jonathan Patton, Chairman, SEHSCT.
The Centre operates a walk-in service which is open to patients seven days a week, 8.00am to 6.00pm, without prior appointment.
However, from Monday to Friday patients can make an appointment, if required for a minor injury, by using the Phone First service between the hours of 8.00am to 5.00pm, but this is not mandatory and they can attend without contacting the hospital beforehand.
Dr Andrew Dobbin, Clinical Director, Unscheduled Care and Maggie Magowan, Interim Clinical Manager, Unscheduled Care, South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust.
The Chief Executive of the South Eastern Trust, Roisin Coulter said: “We are delighted to welcome the Health Minister to officially open the Urgent Care Centre at the Ulster Hospital. This facility is a key part of our commitment to delivering safe, timely and effective care for patients. The teams working in this state-of-the art, purpose-built facility, will be able to assess and treat a range of minor injuries and patients requiring urgent care.
I would like to thank all of our staff for their dedication and commitment to developing this fantastic Centre.”
The Minister concluded: “I am delighted to open the Urgent Care Centre today. It is much needed and will serve the community greatly. The facilities are modern, first class and will help to deliver the appropriate care to patients.”
Notes to editors:
The opening of the UCC follows the transfer of minor injuries from the Bangor and Ards hospitals and the opening of a new ED at the Ulster Hospital in 2023.
It delivers on the Department’s strategy for improving unscheduled care and it completes the new build Acute Services Block.
The Phone First triage service is available Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm, where patients will be given an appointment if appropriate. This service can be accessed by calling (028) 9151 0110.
As part of the No More Silos programme, the Department of Health has invested £32m across a range of initiatives for emergency care including Rapid Access, Phone First and the Urgent Care Centres/Urgent Care streams in Emergency Departments.
The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service For Media Enquiries Only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.
