New ward at Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro

The new ward will care for frail patients who need ongoing care before being discharged

A new hospital ward has been built to relieve pressure on wider health and social care services.

Health bosses said an extra 28 beds have been provided to deliver a new model of care to benefit the wider system in the county.

Wheal Vor Ward at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro will free up beds in the emergency department and beyond, it is hoped.

It was built at "incredible speed," project managers said.

The Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust declared a critical incident in October in which services cannot keep up with demand.

The trust said the new ward was dedicated to caring for people who required ongoing assessment and rehabilitation before being discharged.

It will help to ease pressure on the emergency department by increasing the number of beds available, they added.

The pressure on beds has caused a knock-on effect for the ambulance service, with many queuing outside the emergency department in recent months

It is being supported by a core team of nurses and therapists, specially trained to deliver personal care and treatment plans and a range of therapies to maximise patients' recovery, independence and autonomy.

This model of care is also said to support the training of new, dedicated, health care support workers.

Frazer Underwood, associate clinical professor and consultant nurse in older peoples' care, said: "Patient outcomes will be improved through the use of personal care plans that promote and encourage their independence as they progress towards discharge.

"Cornwall's wider care system will also benefit from a streamlined recruiting and training pathway for new healthcare support workers, whilst the hospital will benefit from reduced waiting times for patients arriving in the emergency department."

Roberta Fuller, head of hospital reconfiguration for the trust, said: "The benefit of these extra beds, to support the wider health system in providing the best possible care, should not be underestimated.

"The speed in constructing and commissioning this new ward, in time for the anticipated winter surge, has been incredible."