NEW proposals from the county's hospital trust could see a £60 million investment in Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

The plans will be submitted by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust to the Department for Health and Social Care and include expansion of the emergency department at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, creation of additional same day emergency care assessment space and creation of a designated Paediatric Emergency Department.

The proposals also include a new diagnostic facility and a larger stroke ward, the introduction of a digital care record as part of the new digital strategy adopted by the acute trust and expansion of the Emergency Department and additional SDEC assessment space at Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.

Worcester MP Robin Walker said he supports the Trust's proposals, saying: "I very much welcome the proposals set out by the Acute Trust and the proposed £60 million capital investment for Worcestershire Royal.

"During the election, I made it clear that my number one priority was the NHS and I made the case for further investment directly to the Health Secretary when he visited Worcester last November.

"The £29 million which I helped secure previously has made a difference, but more investment is needed to address the challenges that the Hospital currently faces.

“This investment would make a massive difference to improve services for my constituents, especially the creation of the dedicated Children’s Emergency Department and the expansion of the Emergency Departments at both hospitals sites, which would help to ease the burden placed upon Worcestershire Royal.”

Chief executive of the trust, Matthew Hopkins, said the proposals were still in the planning stage, but they would provide a vital service.

He said: "We have requested additional capital funding to offset some of the costs, and the associated impact on our revenue budgets.

"Some of the other funding bids are still in the planning and development stage, but are designed to help address the long-standing mismatch between demand for urgent care and the capacity to provide that care for patients across the Worcestershire health and care system."