Plans to complete the building of the new urgent care centre at Walsall Manor Hospital before December have been disrupted.
Health chiefs were hoping that the state-of-the-art centre would be ready for the winter period to cope with demand, but supply chain difficulties blamed on the Covid pandemic have delayed plans.
The emergency unit will now be complete in the new year.
Russell Caldicott, Chief Financial Officer and Walsall Healthcare’s Senior Responsible Officer for the development, said: “It has been another tough year and many aspects of our lives are still being affected by COVID-19 along with a number of additional, economic factors.
“People will be well aware of supply issues that have an everyday impact as well as a major impact on major construction projects such as this one. Work is continuing at pace and we are all sighted on this fantastic new development being handed over to the Trust early in the New Year, with teams very much looking forward to working in their new environment.”
Ned Hobbs, Chief Operating Officer, added: “The transition process for staff moving into the new Urgent and Emergency Care Centre and the patients who will be supported there is well underway.
“Whilst we’re now going to have the building handed over to us early in 2023, it does give Tilbury Douglas an opportunity to carry out enabling works on our first-floor shell space which will incorporate our Frailty service, Integrated Front Door Service and Mental Health and other specialists.”
Once completed, the urgent care centre will host an emergency department and treatment area, as well as an Acute Medical Unit, Paediatric Assessment Unit and a Resus and Rapid Assessment and Treatment area.
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