CONCERNS that the hospital’s emergency department will be swamped over the winter months have led the trust to open a temporary extension.

The £623,000 facility opened at Royal Berkshire Hospital on Monday and provides eight extra cubicles in which patients will be assessed.

The project, which began in mid-October, comes amidst concerns that the department will be stretched to its limits over the coming months.

In 2002, the emergency department at the Royal Berkshire Hospital was expanded, refurbished and designed to deal with 65,000 patients a year.

Last year 103,722 attendances were recorded and in the six months from April to September, 54,411 people came through the department.

Mary Sherry, acting chief executive, said: “Many hospitals are struggling to meet the four hour wait.

“Despite this, the Royal Berkshire Hospital remains amongst the top 25 per cent of hospitals for emergency performance.

“Over nine in 10 patients are seen in under four hours.

“Doing nothing was not an option and so the Trust has invested in the Emergency Department extension.

“We anticipate the unit will be in place for two to three years.

“It is not a final solution, but using these extra eight beds over this winter will greatly improve the care and experience we are able to give our patients, right now.”

In addition to the eight cubicles, the trust has said that it is currently devising a strategy to discharge patients more efficiently.