The SDEC at Royal Derby Hospital, which has been shortlisted for two national awards, has been highlighted in a video showcase study by the NHS Confederation.

Lubna Habib, consultant and ACD for acute medicine, said: ‘It's a good patient journey in terms of firstly the environment is not as overwhelming as you find in an emergency department. Oftentimes you have got elderly patients or patients who have significant anxiety of being in a hospital environment.'

The SDEC sees high volumes of patients – around 120 a day – with the vast majority (85%) receiving the care they need and going home the same day. They are increasingly taking a significant burden off the emergency department with 61% of emergency department patients brought into care at a SDEC within four hours last year, compared to 26% previously. 

SDEC patient Jacquline Johnson said: ‘They were really good. I basically sat down and within 15 minutes I had gone through and was straight in with blood tests done and a chat with the doctor. I think it's fantastic. I've not waited. I've not felt anxious which I suffer from massively.'