New care area created in emergency department

The second phase of a £14.2m project to upgrade Torbay Hospital's emergency department has been completed.

A new ambulatory care area has been opened to give clinical teams a dedicated space to assess and treat people so they do not need to be admitted to hospital.

Clinical lead for the emergency department Dr Amy Jones said it "gives our teams more space to work differently, make timely decisions and support people in a more comfortable environment".

The third and final phase of the programme has begun and is due to open in the early summer.

The first phase improved the reception and waiting area and added more staff facilities and triage rooms.

Jones said the team had received positive feedback from patients and staff about the reception area in particular, including that they found it calmer and more supportive.

Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.