THE Royal Gwent Hospital’s busy medical assessment unit (MAU) is set to undergo a second phase of improvement work to make it better able to deal with increased numbers of patients.

During an exceptionally busy winter, and a surge in attendances and admissions in March and early April, the unit – refurbished and redesigned last year after previous difficulties – struggled to cope.

That surge, added to lower rates of discharge for patients, meant waiting times in the MAU became what an Aneurin Bevan Health Board report calls “unacceptable” for some.

Last year’s work, which involved changing the layout and some procedures, reduced the frequency of congestion in the unit compared to winter 2009/10. But health board chiefs recognise that further work is required. A plan was considered late last year, but could not have been carried out before the busy winter period began.

The MAU is the place where many patients are assessed and monitored prior to a decision being made as to whether they need to be admitted or sent home. But high volumes of A&E attendances, and too few available beds elsewhere in the hospital, can put pressure on spaces there.

The health board has now made the function of, and patient flow through, the MAU one of its top 10 risks that need to be addressed in the coming months.

Meanwhile, measures are being taken to try to improve the management and organisation of the unit.

A broader and higher range of nursing skills are being employed on the unit to boost the cover available, and consultant level physician cover has been extended into the evening.

An Aneurin Bevan Community Health Council report on the recent busy period inMAUraised the issue of information for patients, and steps will be taken to make sure this can be more readily available in busy periods.