New endoscopy unit at Royal Preston aims to cut waiting times for common tests
A new facility dedicated to carrying out one of the most common types of diagnostic test has opened at the Royal Preston Hospital.
The Sherwood Endoscopy Unit will operate seven days a week, with the aim of reducing waiting times for a raft of procedures.
Several tests come under the endoscopy umbrella - all of them involving the use of a camera mounted on a long, thin tube to assess what is happening in various parts of a patient's body.
They include gastroscopies, in which the camera is passed through the mouth to check the oesophagus, stomach and part of the small intestine, and colonoscopies, which see the tube inserted into the bottom to assess the bowels.
A cystoscopy explores the urethra - the pipe where urine comes out - while two other types of endoscopy check a woman ‘s cervix and womb.
The new unit will initially contain two rooms in which the procedures can be carried out, bringing the total available at the Sharoe Green Lane site to five. A sixth is to be built by the end of the year.
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LTH) worked with Medinet to build the faculty and the company will also provide insourced services working alongside LTH endoscopy staff.
Vicky Hughes, the trust’s Speciality Business Manager for Endoscopy at the trust said she was excited about the launch of the new unit, which opened its doors late last month.
“This is a big step forward for patients awaiting procedures in the local area and a great opportunity for collaborative working. The teams are excited to deliver high quality, patient centred care from our newly furbished unit,” she said.
Meanwhile, Christine Roberts, Endoscopy Matron for Medinet, added: “We will be running one room side-by-side the local team seven days per week. It is an honour and privilege to be working with the team and continuing the partnership together to deliver high quality, patient centred care.”