Improvements to the accident and emergency department at one of the busiest hospitals in Essex will be officially opened in time for Christmas and the new millennium.

The new 12-bed medical assessment unit at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, was made possible after Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust was awarded £854,000 extra money for modernisation earlier this year.

Joan Beard, chairman of Essex County Council, will officially open the unit on Thursday.

Trust chairman David Bullock said the modernisation would help the casualty department cope with the anticipated increase in demand and extra pressures that the year 2000 was expected to bring.

General manager Ann Dovener said the hospital's accident and emergency department was one of the busiest in Essex with more than 50,000 patients coming through its doors last year.

"The assessment unit is the first of a number of new developments which will modernise the service we can provide for local people and make emergency services more efficient."

The purpose-built unit is where patients referred to hospital by their GP can be seen and monitored away from the main accident and emergency areas.

A new corridor has been designed which will give patients and staff easier access to x-ray, pathology and pharmacy.

It means they do not have to go through treatment areas and will improve privacy for patients.

The unit will spearhead other state of the art developments being introduced in the New Year.

These include CCTV cameras to improve security, facilities for bereaved relatives, a new entrance to accident and emergency and the introduction of a computerised radiology system which will allow digital viewing of x-ray images instead of using traditional films.

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