The new Cardiac Day Case Unit (CDCU) at the RD&E Hospital (Wonford) opened in April and is already making a difference for patients, offering comfort, dignity and care.

This state-of-the-art facility will significantly increase the number of cardiac patients the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust can treat each day for a range of procedures that can be performed without the need for an inpatient stay, including angiography and angioplasty.

The unit has been built on space that was previously used for offices, and puts cardiac care right at the centre of the hospital. It will play an important role in helping to reduce waiting times for cardiology treatment across Devon, and is a key part of the Royal Devon’s ambition to become a centre of excellence for cardiology care and provide the very best service possible for patients.

The CDCU was officially opened on Friday 19 April by Sam Higginson, Chief Executive Officer for the Royal Devon, and Professor Tim Briggs, National Director for Clinical Improvement and Elective Recovery at NHS England and Chair of the GIRFT (Getting It Right First Time) programme.

Before cutting the ribbon, they were given a tour of the new unit and met with key members of the CDCU team, including Sarah Dale, Cardiology Clinical Matron, who talked to them about the positive impact the CDCU is having, allowing patients to be seen more quickly than they would have been previously, and giving them a quiet environment where they can recover after their procedures.

The tour also included the neighbouring clinical measurements department, which was rebuilt as part of the same project and has been open to patients since October 2023. They met with Soosie Cole, Lead Urology Nurse Specialist, who explained how the new area, which is significantly larger than the previous clinical measurements department, is allowing teams to increase activity and reduce waiting lists.

Sam Higginson said, “Building the CDCU is one of the biggest transformation projects that we have undertaken here at the Royal Devon, and its success is the result of rigorous planning and outstanding teamwork. The support of our teams across the Trust has enabled us to make the very best use of our clinical space to provide excellent care to those who need it. Thank you to everyone who has been involved.”