Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust has confirmed plans to develop a purpose-built Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill.
Supported by £8.6m of capital investment from NHS England, the new UTC will complement the hospital’s existing Emergency Department and Same Day Emergency Care services.
The site is expected to improve access, enhance patient flow and reduce pressure on core emergency services.
"We are really excited about this new investment into our urgent care services and, in line with the wider NHS 10-year plan to expand same day emergency care services,” said Karen Breen, CEO at the Trust.
The planned two-storey building will be located prominently at the front of the East Surrey Hospital site next to the ED, creating a single point of access for patients with urgent, non-life-threatening health needs.
The UTC is designed to deliver rapid assessment, diagnosis and treatment all in one place helping to streamline care for patients whose conditions do not require admission.
Subject to planning and regulatory clearance, construction is due to begin this summer, with the UTC anticipated to open in the second half of 2027.
The growing need for a UTC
East Surrey and the surrounding areas are experiencing sustained population growth, with increasing overall demand for urgent health services.
The new UTC will ensure that urgent care capacity better reflects this demographic shift and meets local needs more effectively.
Early engagement with system partners and stakeholders helped shape the centre’s service model, reflecting a shared vision for future urgent care delivery across Surrey and Sussex.
With designs now in the final stage of development, SASH expects to submit the scheme for formal approval in the coming months.
The project represents a step forward in the Trust’s ongoing programme of service transformation, complementing other initiatives such as the recently opened Redhill Community Diagnostics Centre, which has already begun to improve patient access to vital tests and assessments, reducing travel and waiting times.
Across Surrey and Sussex, a range of local health services are being developed or expanded, including other urgent treatment centres and enhanced same-day care models.