From Monday 26 January 2026, Ward 23’s Respiratory unit and Ward 20’s Respiratory Enhanced Care beds will be permanently relocated to Ward 19 at Royal Preston Hospital.
Ward 19, located on floor 4 of the main ward block, has been closed for some time to allow for extensive refurbishment and improvement works.
Going forward, Ward 19 will be known as the ‘Respiratory Ward and Respiratory Support Unit (RSU)’ and will provide an improved environment for patients and clinicians for the treatment of respiratory conditions.
As part of the move, the service will also see the establishment of a Respiratory Assessment Unit (RAU), which will aim to shift appropriate inpatient admissions to ambulatory care, reducing unnecessary hospital stays, complications associated with admission, and improve overall length of stay.
The creation of integrated pathways across the RAU and virtual ward will move care closer to home, improve patient experience and benefit early supported discharge and admission avoidance.
This move will help to ensure patients receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place to reduce the overall length of stay.
