Congestion issues will be looked into after more than 20 ambulances were seen queuing outside Ipswich Hospital's new emergency department.

Members of the public raised concerns after reporting a large ambulance presence outside the Urgent and Emergency Care Centre block at Ipswich Hospital, in Heath Road.

One member of the public reported seeing around 20 ambulances being present at around 2.30pm on September 9, and another counted 18 queuing up at around 4pm.

The new unit at the hospital is part of a £52million redevelopment works at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), which runs Ipswich Hospital.

Ambulances outside the new blockAmbulances outside the new block (Image: Submitted)

It is estimated the new facility can cater for around 50,000 patients who arrive at A&E each year, and it would offer a "rapid assessment treatment area" where they can offload ambulances into.

A video sent to this publication shows a number of ambulances with crews inside them, and patients, waiting in car parking spaces just outside the facility, and a backlog of ambulances going back to the bus area.

Mike Meers is the director of operations at Ipswich Hospital, which is run by East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

"He said: “The new A&E department is running as planned.

"Yesterday we didn’t experience an unusually high number of ambulances, but there was some congestion which is being looked into."

The new A&E departmentThe new A&E department (Image: KLH ARCHITECTS)

Members of the public were concerned however, with one saying: "We counted 18 ambulances in all.

"Instead of the new A&E department, would it have been better building new wards and more beds.

"Whilst ambulances are held up at A&E they are not able to go to new patients."

Another said: "It was absolute chaos."

Visitors described seeing 18 to 20 ambulances queuing outside the hospital.Visitors described seeing 18 to 20 ambulances queuing outside the hospital. (Image: Contributed)

The East of England Ambulance Service was also contacted for comment.

In addition to the A&E, a new dedicated urgent treatment centre opened.

It will offer treatment for urgent but not life-threatening conditions, freeing up the A&E to focus on providing care for the most critically ill and seriously injured patients.

There is a single front door for all walk-in urgent and emergency patients, making sure they are seen and treated by the right team.

Ambulance crews at the hospitalAmbulance crews at the hospital (Image: Submitted)