New Specialist Gynaecology Unit opens at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital

21 Oct 2022, 11:03 p.m.

A dedicated Gynaecology ward, together with a new Emergency Gynaecology Admissions Unit (GAU) has opened on Ward 9a at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital (GRH).

The new specialist gynaecology unit represents a move back to pre-pandemic status at GRH and is great news for women in the county suffering from a wide range of conditions related to women’s reproductive health.

Although women had continued to benefit from care and treatment from specialist teams at GRH during the pandemic, previous COVID-related ward changes meant that their post-operative care was often delivered on general surgical wards.

The emergency GAU will operate from 8am to 8.30pm seven days a week and will ensure that women presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) can access specialist care in an appropriate setting as quickly as possible, as well as accepting direct referrals from GPs.

Matron Becky Hutchinson explains:

“We’re especially delighted that the GAU, an initiative that we started during the pandemic that was previously operating in gynaecology out-patients, is now housed on the new ward, which means that we’ll be able to bring the majority of gynae patients up to the unit. In particular, we’re hoping to provide compassionate, dedicated support for people who are experiencing miscarriage who attend our Emergency Department at GRH at what is a devastating time in their lives."

It has taken us longer than we would have liked to restore this ward to its pre-pandemic status, but I am delighted that women in Gloucestershire who are facing a range of gynaecological issues can now expect to receive the highest standard of care and treatment in a dedicated ward staffed by specialist nurses.

Deborah Lee, Chief Executive

Our whole team is so pleased to have gynaecology located on Ward 9a again and we’ll do everything we can to provide the excellent and caring service that women in this county deserve. Restoring the specialist gynaecology unit is wonderful news for all of us working in women’s health.

Becky Hutchinson, Matron for Gynaecology and Fertility Services