An upgraded children’s emergency department (ED) at King George Hospital has officially opened after a £800,000 revamp.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) - which runs the hospital - says the state-of-the-art facility will be crucial to treating young patients during the busy winter months.

The new children’s ED has four additional cubicles, a waiting room twice the size as before, a resus and high dependency bay and a consultation room for mental health needs.

The revamp is part of a £5m upgrade of ED facilities at the Goodmayes hospital.

BHRUT chief executive Matthew Trainer said: “I’m delighted that we’ve opened the improved Children’s ED at such a busy time of year.

“We need to make sure that our fantastic clinicians have a workplace that does justice to the care they deliver.

“This will help them continue to give local children and families the very best care.”

Consultant paediatrician and Children’s ED lead Aber Eaqub added: “The larger ED means we can welcome younger patients in a pleasant environment, which has been specifically designed for children and babies.”