Revamped endoscopy unit to treat more complex cases

A hospital endoscopy unit will be able to treat more of the most complex cases from across the region following a £12.4m refurbishment, officials have said.

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) said the expanded Endoscopy Unit at Queen's Medical Centre (QMC), would provide access to more endoscopies, in improved surroundings, for more patients each year.

Officials said the unit should increase capacity for the most complex therapeutic procedures by 50%, which is about 1,200 additional patients each year.

Building work has been completed and the facility is undergoing final fitting. It is expected to treat its first patients at the end of the month.

Endoscopy uses a flexible camera to examine the inside of the body and help diagnose and treat a wide range of gastrointestinal and other conditions.

In the last 12 months, NUH said it had performed more than 23,000 endoscopy procedures across its three sites - City Hospital, Treatment Centre and QMC.

The new unit has a third procedure room, along with an admissions area, preparation rooms, three endoscopy treatment rooms, two recovery bays, a discharge room and dedicated staff facilities.

Managers said a focus on therapeutic treatment - such as halting internal bleeding - would help ease pressure on operating theatres.

Rod Petman, 76, from Eastwood, was one of the last patients to be treated in the old unit.

"It was functional but felt cramped," he said. "Some rooms were located on the opposite side of a corridor, and patients sometimes had to cross that corridor to the treatment rooms. The new unit is now all located in one much bigger space, and it is amazing.

"It improves the patient experience by providing a flow right from when patients arrive at reception through to discharge, ensuring a calm, welcoming atmosphere, along with added privacy and dignity."

As well as serving NUH patients, the QMC unit will also take those referred from surrounding hospitals.

Dr Andrew Baxter, deputy head of service for endoscopy, said: "This new unit will make a real difference for our patients.

"It gives us more space, better facilities and greater capacity, which means we can provide care in a more modern environment and improve the experience for people using our services.

"It will also help us carry out more complex procedures and reduce waits for patients who need endoscopy most urgently."

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