The Acute Medicine Department, also known as The Rainbow Unit, is located in the modular building close to the Emergency Department in Russells Hall Hospital.
Rainbow Unit is a two-storey facility with an acute assessment unit on the ground floor with 22 spaces and eight monitored beds. On the first floor is a 30-bed short stay ward
AEC is located next to Ward A2 (formerly ward A1) and consists of four trolleys for assessment, three clinic rooms and a room for triage and treatment.
AEC is part of the Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC).
AMU operates closely with ED and admits medical patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The main role of AMU is to provide you with an initial assessment, investigation and treatment for admissions with medical problems.
AEC is open from 8am – 10pm (last booking at 7pm), and GPs or other healthcare professionals can refer you directly to the unit. ED can also refer you to AEC if you are an ambulatory patient (not likely to require inpatient admission). AEC can be a busy unit, but we aim to make your journey through the acute unit as smooth as possible. Whilst in AEC, you can expect to have nurse triage, doctor clerking and consultant review along with necessary investigations.
If you need admission to AMU or RAB for ongoing treatment from ED or AEC, the consultant-led AMU team will initiate a further management plan for you. There are daily reviews by consultant from 8am in AMU, RAB and AEC, seven days a week including bank holidays. If you need sub-specialty input, you will then be referred to different specialties. Following treatment on AMU, you may be well enough to be discharged or, if you need further inpatient specialist care, you will be transferred to an appropriate ward within 48 hours.
You may be admitted to AMU if your expected length of stay is 48-72 hours. The senior led team will review you on a daily basis, including weekends and bank holidays. If you need a longer stay for further treatment, you may be transferred to other appropriate wards after 48-72 hours. In AMU, you will also be reviewed by therapy services if necessary.