Emergency care centre a UK first

A planning application has been submitted for a revolutionary new specialist emergency care hospital in Northumbria. Believed to be the first of its kind in the country, the facility is the brainchild of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which has this month submitted an application to Northumberland County Council. If the plans get the go-ahead, patients arriving at the new building alongside the A189 in Cramlington, will be treated by highly-trained and experienced medical professionals who specialise in the treatment of the condition or injury affecting them. The £75m scheme will be among the first in the UK to have specialist A and E consultants on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition, specialists from all the main clinical conditions will be on duty during the day and evening and on call during the night. The move comes as medical evidence shows that having the right specialist on hand to treat patients saves lives and improves recovery. Jim Mackey, trust chief executive, said: "This investment will provide a life-saving service for our patients and vastly improved care in their communities." The council is currently reviewing the planning application and will then begin a public consultation exercise.