SW Thames Prospectus - South Thames Diabetes and Endocrinology

The department of Diabetes and Endocrinolgy is a stand alone building
where outpatient facility for specialist clinics is managed by dedicated
admin staff.
The hospital has computer terminals in all inpatient and outpatient
locations enabling real-time electronic results reporting, internet access,
and access to the Diabetes Information System. All wards have wireless LAN
access points, with further development plans for roaming access to results
and future EPR applications as part of National Programme for IT
implementation.
The number of patients cared for each year is 125,000 out-patients, 26,500
in-patients, 45,000 A & E attendances, 13,000 day surgery procedures and
1,900 births.
The Trust has been awarded a whole hospital Charter Mark for the third
consecutive 3 year period and is also holds the Investors in People award.
The Locality
The hospital is situated in a very pleasant part of the country, just south of
the Downs and about six miles from the Channel coast. As the county town
of West Sussex, Chichester is an important administrative, industrial and
business centre. This Cathedral city is a local centre of culture as well as a
popular tourist venue. The Chichester Festival Theatre, which is within
walking distance of the hospital, is an internationally famous tourist
attraction. Chichester Harbour and the coastal resorts offer excellent
facilities for sailing and other water sports. The well-known racecourses of
Goodwood and Fontwell are nearby, as are facilities for a wide variety of
sporting and other recreational activities including a local tennis and
squash club.
The main industries of the district are farming and horticulture, with
extensive glasshouse facilities in the coastal area. In addition, service and
light manufacturing industries are now assuming increasing prominence.
The extraction of natural resources, particularly from the greensand beds to
the north of the Downs and the gravel pits centred on Chichester, is
currently much in demand, with exploration for oil as a more recent
development.
Both road and rail communications are good with a direct link to London
Victoria in under two hours, and to Gatwick Airport (30-40 minutes). There
is also a rail service along the south coast to Brighton in the east and to
Portsmouth in the west.
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