Bath's Royal United Hospital to get extra consultants

The Royal United Hospital provides care to a catchment population of 500,000 people

Bath's Royal United Hospital has announced plans to employ five extra consultants in its emergency department.

The hospital said the move was necessary after a difficult winter with a high level of admissions.

In March, the Care Quality Commission called for action at the hospital.

The Royal United Hospital NHS Trust said the extra consultants would ensure more senior expertise was available in the first 24 hours of admission.

Francesca Thompson, Chief Operating Officer at the RUH said: "The Royal United Hospital, similar to many other acute hospitals, experienced an extremely challenging winter with the number of emergency department attendances and admissions."

The extra consultants would "enable more responsive senior medical review over 24-hours and seven days a week", she added.

The hospital had responded to the Care Quality Commission report saying the inspection had been carried out when the whole local healthcare system had been extremely busy and there was a shortage of beds in all acute hospitals and onward care within the community.

The hospital trust provides 565 beds to a catchment population of some 500,000 covering Bath and the surrounding towns and villages in North East Somerset and Western Wiltshire.