COUNTY patients in need of endoscopy treatments have been boosted with news of a multi-million pound investment in brand new, state-of-the-art equipment by health chiefs.
The £4.2million investment will mean patients having endoscopy procedures for gastrointestinal, respiratory or urology-related conditions will receive more advanced investigations, including high-definition cameras and top-of-the-range optical technology – all of which allow for clearer examination of patients.
An endoscopy is a procedure where the inside of the body is examined by using a long, thin, flexible tube that has a camera at one end for diagnosis or treatment.
Patients who attend either Evesham Community Hospital, Kidderminster Treatment Centre and the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch will benefit from the investment.
The units in the county – run by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust – see over 20,000 patients every year.
The team at the Alex were recently awarded national accreditation for providing the highest quality of care to patients.
The new kit will also help all tree hospitals retain high-quality endoscopy staff, as well as recruit additional staff as the service expands to meet the growing demand.
Richard Lovegrove, clinical lead for Endoscopy at Worcestershire’s hospitals said: “Endoscopy is an extremely important tool in diagnosing cancers and pre-cancerous conditions within the bowels, lungs and urinary tract.
“We have an extremely busy endoscopy department and this investment, together with the recent accreditation and improved Care Quality Commission report, all show we are working towards delivering the best possible care to the people of Worcestershire.”
The new equipment is expected to be installed and in use by January.
