Driffield hospital patients are benefitting from the new state-of-the-art x-ray equipment the at Alfred Bean - thanks to a generous grant of more than £80,000 from the League of Friends.
NHS East Riding of Yorkshire brought together a number of hospital trusts to help develop a new picture archive communication system (PACS) digital x-ray facility at the hospital.
The Hospital’s League of Friends agreed substantial investment to fund the whole project, including all equipment and work to alter and refurbish the x-ray control rooms.
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mark Andrews said:“My weekly orthopaedic clinics at the Alfred Bean Hospital are now much safer with a significantly improved patient experience since the League of Friends facilitated the modern era of radiology by helping to provide digital x-rays at the Hospital. I am grateful for their efforts which will secure the future of the Alfred Bean Hospital as a vibrant and efficient outpatient unit for the benefit of the local population.”
PACS allows X-rays and other diagnostic images to be captured, distributed and stored in a digital format viewable on computer screens around the hospital. X-ray images can be sent from hospital to hospital, reducing the need for patients to travel to be x-rayed at larger regional hospitals.
The project was quite complex and the Project Team worked with local hospital teams in Hull and Scarborough to find the best system for consultants, doctors and other health professionals to access and compare images at the touch of a button.
Judy Douglas, Chairman of Driffield Hospital League of Friends, said:
“I would like to thank all my colleagues on the League of Friends Committee, for their unstinting support of this project. I must also thank David Wigglesworth, who on behalf of the Needler Trust, has supported so generously the Hospital and the League. The project has indeed been complex and long drawn out, and I would like to thank Helen Etherington at NHS East Riding of Yorkshire who has tolerated my impatience, as the project has slowly developed.
“Thanks to the support of all the people of Driffield, and the surrounding villages, we continue to work for our hospital. Though without beds, the hospital is still important to the wellbeing of the community. The Hospital is now part of the Humber Foundation Trust and we have always had the advantage of expert consultant cover from both Scarborough and Hull Hospitals in our Outpatient Department. The Clinical Commissioning Group must see to it that services continue and improve.
“We very much hope that Humber Foundation Trust and York Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will continue to work together to provide the Outpatient care that people require and deserve.
“May I take this opportunity to ask everyone to support our coffee morning on Saturday September 22 starting 10am at the Alfred Bean Hospital. We would like to see as many people as possible.at this function.”
Dr Gina Palumbo, Chair of the East Riding of Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, added: “The new PACS X-ray is a wonderful clinical improvement within the hospital. It is a mark of the League of Friends’ longstanding dedication to the hospital and the local community, and we look forward to working with them for the continued improvement of services in Driffield and surrounding area.”