Patient Experience at Queen Alexandra Hospital’s New Emergency Department

“It’s much nicer than the old one, newer and cleaner,” stated Charmaine Robinson, a satisfied relative of a patient departing the new emergency department (ED) at Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra (QA) hospital. This facility, which cost £58m, commenced operations last week, having already served thousands of patients. The key questions are what internal changes have been made, whether these improvements benefit patients and staff, and if the new department will contribute to reducing ambulance handover times. Prior to the new department’s opening, in October 2024, ambulances at QA experienced an average waiting time of one hour and 24 minutes, significantly exceeding the 15-minute target. Within all sections of the new department—including adult urgent care, majors, resus, and children’s—the cubicles are now equipped with solid walls and glass doors that can be closed. Dr. Sophie Gough, an emergency consultant and urgent care director, commented on these changes, saying, “It’s better for infection control, but also for privacy and means patients who need to sleep can do so without the noise of the ward disturbing them.” Additionally, a sealable door allows the department to be divided into high and low-risk zones, a feature designed for potential future pandemics. The children’s emergency department boasts its own entrance, waiting room, resus area, and ward, adorned with jellyfish and vibrant paint. A ship-shaped play zone is centrally located within the children’s treatment area, enabling staff to observe children as they play. Dr. Gough described it as, “It’s a fabulous area, it’s a great place for us to observe children. Seeing children play helps us see how well or ill they are.” Previously, patients requiring a scan in the old ED had to be transported through multiple corridors, accompanied by a minimum of two staff members. The new department is equipped with two CT scanners and three x-ray rooms, allowing patients to access these services within minutes. Chief nurse Liz Rix highlighted the efficiency, stating, “People who we suspect have had a stroke can be taken off the ambulance and sent straight into the CT scanner. And that first hour is so critical.” Addressing prior concerns about lengthy ambulance handover queues, the new drop-off zone features a canopy, ensuring all patients are sheltered immediately upon exiting an ambulance. Separate entrances for the adult and children’s EDs have been implemented to ensure young patients receive prompt attention from appropriate personnel. Liz Rix commented, “We’ve now been able to design this building so the sickest patients, the ones with life-threatening illnesses who come by ambulance, are seen by a specific rapid assessment team with a consultant in charge.” Matron Niko Rosales, a regular staff member in the new department, noted that the expanded cubicles provide nurses with immediate access to equipment. He explained, “Each cubicle has a store of what we need. We don’t lose so much time walking around getting things anymore.” Roof windows in the department allow natural light to illuminate many of the stations. Rosales remarked, “We know now what the weather is doing, whether it’s daytime or night, it’s a much more pleasant working environment.” The new ED commenced operations at the onset of winter, a period typically associated with peak hospital activity. Increased demand during this season is attributed to winter pressures from flu and respiratory illnesses, the festive period of Christmas and New Year, and injuries from slips and falls in icy conditions. On the day of the visit, the adult waiting room was observed to be nearly full by midday. Chief nurse Liz Rix affirmed that the hospital was “as prepared as it could be” for winter, but emphasized that efficient operation also depended on patients’ decisions. Urgent treatment centers in Gosport, Petersfield, and at St Mary’s hospital in Portsmouth operate during the day for conditions such as sprains, minor burns, and severe abdominal pain. QA’s ED is designated for suspected strokes and heart attacks, serious burns, or head injuries. Ms. Rix advised, “Come to us if you really need us, we are here for the sickest patients. But our patients can help us by choosing to access other urgent care in the community if they can.”