A new Emergency Department and Urgent Treatment Centre at Northampton General Hospital is set to open within weeks, in what Labour MP Lucy Rigby has hailed as an important investment in local NHS services.
Rigby, the Labour MP for Northampton North, welcomed the completion of the new facilities, saying the investment would help local residents receive the right treatment more quickly.
Announcing the development on social media, Rigby said:
“Northampton General’s new Emergency Department & Urgent Treatment Centre is complete & opening in just a few weeks!
“Investment in our NHS, delivered right here in Northampton – enabling residents to receive the right care, more quickly.”
The new facilities are designed to strengthen urgent and emergency healthcare provision at Northampton General Hospital and improve the experience of patients requiring treatment.
Rigby said the development demonstrated the importance of continued investment in the NHS and ensuring communities have access to modern healthcare facilities closer to home.
The Labour MP also used the announcement to remind residents that the way they access urgent and emergency care has not changed ahead of the new facilities opening.
She said:
“And a quick reminder while we’re here: how you access urgent & emergency care hasn’t changed, so for urgent advice that isn’t life-threatening, NHS 111 is still your first call.”
Patients experiencing life-threatening emergencies should continue to use emergency services, while NHS 111 remains the first point of contact for people who need urgent medical advice but whose condition is not life-threatening.
The completion of the project will be welcomed by patients and NHS staff in Northampton, with the new facilities expected to provide additional capacity and help ensure people are directed towards the most appropriate treatment.
Rigby has described the project as an example of NHS investment being delivered directly in Northampton, as Labour continues its wider drive to improve health services, reduce waiting times and ensure patients can access care more quickly.
The new Emergency Department and Urgent Treatment Centre is expected to begin receiving patients within the coming weeks.
