NEW Way Forward Appeal | Brighter Futures

In December 2018, the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were successful in securing central Government funding to improve the services we provide for our patients at Great Western Hospital. The funding will focus on a key programme of work called the Way Forward Programme which will create a hospital environment suitable for Swindon's growing and ageing population, now and well into the future.

The Trust purchased of 5.5 hectares of land next to the Great Western Hospital site from housing developers Persimmon Homes and Redrow Thames Valley. The purchase of this land creates a strategic opportunity for future development on the GWH site, to improve services and ensure the Trust can meet the demand created by Swindon and North Wiltshire's rapid population growth.

The Way Forward Programme of work is focused on projects that, instead of creating a bigger version of the hospital we have today, will help to develop a more integrated, streamlined and efficient health care system in Swindon that will provide an effective balance of urgent and longer-term care for our patients’ best interests.

The Way Forward Programme of work will help us to develop a more integrated, streamlined and efficient health care system in Swindon that will provide an effective balance of urgent and longer-term care for our patients’ best interests.

One key project includes the expansion and co-location of urgent and emergency care services. Our current facilities for providing urgent and emergency care at Great Western Hospital are inadequate. The facilities are too small and pressure on space will only increase. The local population is growing and ageing. Demand for emergency care has almost doubled. 30,500 patients in Swindon have more than 3 chronic conditions and the impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic will be felt for years to come. This adds up to heightened pressure on beds, longer lengths of stay and a poor patient experience.