Mobile endoscopy unit reduces waiting times for diagnostic tests at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust

The unit, which opened at County Hospital in August, was delivered in just 5 weeks. It will operate a seven-day service with the aim of clearing the overdue waiting list for planned and surveillance procedures. Made possible thanks to NHS England funding, up to 750 patients a month are expected to be screened on a range of specialities. 

The first patient on-board the unit earlier this month had been on the waiting list for over a year. In that time, she'd been through the death of her husband and her daughter being diagnosed with cancer, all while tolerating the debilitating symptoms of her condition. To be offered an appointment in the new mobile endoscopy unit meant a lot to her, and this is why we work to deliver units as quickly as possible, so that patients and communities can benefit. 

Lisa Adams, Senior Operational Services Manager at UHNM said: “We were delighted to have received NHS England funding to improve and expand on our endoscopy service at UHNM. Early detection and diagnosis is vitally important to give our patients the best possible outcomes, and this new unit will help us to offer quicker screening access to thousands of patients, improving their quality of life whilst reducing waiting lists.” 

Kathryn Kelter, Head of Operations for Planned Care at UHNM said: “We’ve already been doing a lot of work to increase endoscopy capacity across UHNM, with teams at both Royal Stoke and County hospitals going above and beyond to provide timely diagnostics in an effort to reduce current waiting lists, so to now have the facility to screen and diagnose an additional 750 patients per month is amazing news for our local population.

 
"This fantastic, brand-new unit at County Hospital will help us to provide the best possible patient experience whilst maintaining the sustainability of our endoscopy service prior to the opening of the Community Diagnostic Centre in 2025. ”

Cath Williams, Partnerships Manager said: "We are thrilled to partner with Medinet on this crucial project to expand our endoscopy services at County Hospital. This state-of-the-art endoscopy unit can significantly reduce waiting times for patients, and this collaboration not only enhances our capacity to meet current demand but also strengthens our commitment to early diagnosis and better health outcomes."

Tim Flanagan, CEO said “We’re delighted to have been able to work in partnership with colleagues at EMS and UHNM to provide vital endoscopy services, and additional clinical capacity, for those patients who need it most. With over 20 years’ experience of working hand in hand with the NHS to provide elective care solutions, focussed on reducing waiting lists, delivering outstanding patient care is at the heart of every decision we make.”

The unit, which will remain on-site for a period of six months, features two diagnostic rooms and its own decontamination facilities. For more information or to book a tour of our mobile solutions, please get in touch.