Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have expanded their Endoscopy service with the opening of a new building – The Sherwood Endoscopy Unit.
The unit, named after the northern suburb of Preston, is located at the front of the hospital and will add another two endoscopy rooms to the service resulting in an initial expansion to 5 rooms.
The unit will also enable a further room to be built onsite by the end of the year, meaning more endoscopy capacity and improved waiting times for patients requiring endoscopy procedures.
An endoscopy is a test to look inside your body, with an endoscope - a long, thin tube with a small camera inside - passed into your body through a natural opening such as your mouth.
There are different types of endoscopy that look at different parts of the body.
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals has worked with Medinet during the building phase, and they will also provide insourced services working alongside LTHTR Endoscopy staff, 7 days a week.
Within the unit, the Trust will complete a range of endoscopic procedures including gastroscopy, colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy in 2 fully equipped endoscopy rooms, with state-of-the-art facilities.
Vicky Hughes, Speciality Business Manager Endoscopy Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “I am really excited about the opening of this new unit within the endoscopy expansion at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals.
“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.”
Christine Roberts, Endoscopy Matron for Medinet, added: “As Matron for Endoscopy for Medinet, I am thrilled to be collaborating with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals within their brand new 2 roomed endoscopy unit facility, due to commence seeing patients soon.
“We will be launching our insourcing contract with the Trust and running one room side by side the local team 7 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.”
