This week, patients in Brighton will benefit from faster, safer emergency care as Royal Sussex County Hospital opens its brand-new Acute Medical Unit (AMU).
The state‑of‑the‑art facility, which opens to patients this week, is part of a major £62 million reconfiguration of the hospital’s Acute Floor, designed to improve patient experience and access to urgent care, away from the pressured Emergency Department environment.
The AMU will act as a single assessment unit for patients referred to medical specialties, whether by their GP or colleagues in the Emergency Department.
Craig Marsh, Head of Nursing for the Acute Floor, said: “Designed with patients at its core, the new unit provides a calm, dedicated environment where assessments and treatments can be carried out swiftly and efficiently — away from the busy Emergency Department. This ensures that every patient is quickly directed to the most appropriate place for their care.”
The space is larger, more private, and offers greater comfort than the former unit. With improved infection control and an ambulatory area featuring supportive recliner chairs, we can enhance patient experience, reduce waiting times, and support staff in delivering the highest standards of care.
Take a quick look inside
Operating 24/7, the unit is expected to care for around 500 patients each week, including those with suspected heart or breathing problems, infections, frailty-related conditions, and many more. Most patients will be treated and discharged or admitted to a ward within 12 hours.
The AMU follows the opening of the Surgical Assessment Unit (SAU) in 2024, creating two purpose-built facilities to replace the old Acute Admission Unit. Since the SAU opened last year, it has been helping more than 700 patients every month with many moved from the emergency department to the SAU within just four hours, meaning they get the right care faster. And patients are also spending less time in hospital, showing that these changes are making a real difference.
Now, the opening of the AMU extends these benefits to medical patients, helping ensure they receive specialist care more quickly.
Dr Andy Heeps, interim Chief Executive for University Hospitals Sussex, said: “Acute Medicine plays a vital role in a patient’s journey. Most of our patients who will receive treatment at the County’s medical wards will pass through this unit for assessment, diagnosis, and the start of their treatment. Many will also complete their care here or return for follow‑up. That’s why the opening of a purpose‑built Acute Medical Unit, designed specifically to meet these needs, marks such an important milestone.
“We recognise, however, that more work is needed to relieve pressures across the entire system — not just within hospitals, where many patients are ready to move on to the next stage of care, but also across the wider NHS and social care services.”