Wexham Park Hospital’s emergency department moved into the new £49million assessment centre yesterday.

Its relocation into the new 'state of the art' centre at the front of the Slough hospital brings all the emergency services fully online.

The repositioned emergency department occupies the entire ground floor of the assessment centre. It began accepting patients from early morning.

The new department has 30 single ‘majors’ rooms, giving seriously ill patients improved privacy and eight resuscitation rooms for patients with life-threatening conditions. These contain specialist equipment to provide intensive treatment and support.

There are also 10 assessment rooms as well as separate areas for children and patients with less serious conditions.

Sean Harding, a senior nurse and the change manager for the emergency assessment centre, said as the department opened its doors: “Preparations for the emergency department move have gone well and it will bring significant benefits for patients and staff. We can’t wait to get started.”

The emergency department move completes the occupation of the four-storey assessment centre, which brings A&E services, 24-hour assessments and short stay medical and surgical care together under one roof for the first time. This will increase collaboration between clinical teams so that patients can be assessed, diagnosed and treated better and faster, and many won’t have to be admitted to the main hospital at all.

Work began on the new building exactly two years ago and has been completed on time.