Work has started on a £2.5m improvement project at the RUH in Bath.

The works will update and further improve the hospital’s emergency care facility.

Funds for the improvements are the result of a successful bid to central government to ensure patients get the right care, while reducing ambulance handover times.

The improvements include a new three-bed resuscitation area to care for patients arriving by ambulance, a new A&E entrance for same day emergency care services and relocating the Trauma Assessment Unit to a new, modern space.

RUH chief executive, Cara Charles-Barks said: “These improvements will have a really positive impact, improving the experience our patients have when they arrive at our front door for emergency care.

“This project will increase overall capacity within the emergency department and ensure that patients are triaged and cared for in the most appropriate location based on their clinical need.

“It will also benefit ambulance crews, by improving their access to A&E to safely offload critically unwell patients.

“We would like to reassure our patients that they will still receive the same excellent level of care from the RUH while these improvement works take place, though we would like to apologise in advance for any increase in noise and construction traffic on site.”

The project is due to be completed by the end of March 2021.