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Hospital builds 'frailty friendly’ emergency department

New floor at Leicester Royal Infirmary designed specifically to accommodate frail patients and those with dementia

Nurses are being recruited for Europe’s first ‘frailty friendly' emergency department, due to open at Leicester Royal Infirmary in March next year.

The hospital's emergency department is being expanded across the entire ground floor to increase capacity and accommodate all emergency admissions, including acute frailty admissions.

The department has been designed with input from the charity Age Concern to ensure its suitability, with plans to provide a specific area for dementia patients.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust emergency department matron Andy Coser said it is hoped these steps will reduce the impact of hospitalisation on dementia patients.

‘The whole floor has been designed to reduce the impact of falls if they happen; the colour and the lighting choices are affected too,' he said.

‘In the area for dementia patients we hope to be able to reduce the sound level.’

For more on the plans and on open days being held for people interested in working in the department, click here

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