Cancer patients in Oncology and Haematology are often ill between their treatment cycles and require emergency support and review, sometimes immediately.  The urgent nature of these complications means that patients are unable to wait for outpatient appointments.

The support provided to patients at present is to attend the Emergency Assessment Bay (EAB) in the Oncology outpatient department, during the hours of 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.  Or outside of these times, & when capacity has been reached in the current EAB, the patients go to A&E.  With the patient’s immune system often compromised due to treatment they can be exposed to unnecessary infection making A&E a far from ideal place for them to be.

We would like to create a separate area on the current Talbot Butler Ward for a new Emergency Assessment Bay.  This new EAB will have dedicated areas for triage, assessment and examinations in an environment that is open and spacious offering patients 24 / 7 specialist assessment.