New £1million imaging room speeds up specialist scans in Southend
Hospital waiting times are set to be reduced following a million pound investment in new and improved specialised Radiology scanning equipment, which also means patient will receive their results much quicker.
Patients in need of certain diagnostic procedures are now able to use a state-of-the-art fluoroscopy machine at Southend Hospital, which provides more accurate scans and clearer images than older equipment and also delivers a lower radiation dose to those getting treatment.
Elida Barcelos, Senior Radiographer, said: “We’re incredibly excited about our fantastic new area. We can now see more patients which means waiting lists will reduce and people will get their results and treatment more quickly, if they need it.”
The new welcoming area is housed in a refurbished room that has created a more relaxing environment for patients and there’s also a new more convenient dedicated two-bay room next to the procedure room where patients can rest after their scans.
Previously patients needing recovery were taken to a medical day stay unit several floors below, now everything takes place in the same space.
Elida said: “It’s given us all a real boost as these improvements are bringing specialised fluoroscopy services that will help our patients and help our staff develop their skills.”
Fluoroscopy involves a dye being drunk or inserted into the body using a catheter, while a real-time video image is shown on monitors. This allows radiographers to see the dye flow through a patient’s body to study any issues.