SOUTHEND Hospital is set to open a brand new £1million ward to help provide extra critical support.

The new eight-bed High Dependency Unit (HDU) , which will provide more facilities for patients who need extra care, is set to open in the spring.

Managers say the hospital expansion will strengthen the service the hospital provides to those who need additional care, but do not need intensive care.

It aims to improve safety of patient care and the patient experience at the Trust.

The state-of-the-art eight bed facility will support patients from all specialities who need a higher level of care - such as intensive observation and treatments - than can be provided on the speciality wards.

The hospital yesterday released images of how the unit is expected to look.

It will include a large airy reception area along with a relatives room and is designed to support the hospital’s intensive care unit.

It will be named the Kitty Hubbard Ward HDU.

Gill Donohue, senior nurse and lecturer practitioner for the hospital’s Critical Care Unit, said: “We know that by providing high dependency care we can improve patient care within Southend Hospital and potentially prevent patients from requiring intensive care.

“This is an exciting new venture for all the critical care staff and both medical and nursing staff have worked closely with the architect and project team so we know we will have a fantastic environment to work in and have new equipment to ensure we provide the very best for our patients.”

Building started at the hospital in October.

The HDU will be situated on the first floor of the hospital.

The hospital, like others around the country, has suffered bed crises at times throughout the winter.

Ambulances have had to wait to unload patients at A&E as staff there struggle to find beds for patients who need to be admitted.

The extra beds are likely to help alleviate some of the pressure at times of high volumes.

Paul Cavalier, partner at Ingleton Wood, who have designed the new HDU unit, said: “As a local practice with a long-standing involvement with the trust, we are extremely proud to have designed the new facility to support high dependency patient care in the region.”