Patients at a hospital in Kent are set to benefit from a \u00a33.1m investment in its radiology department, an NHS trust has said.<\/p>\n
The service at Medway Maritime Hospital, in Gillingham, operates around the clock, supporting the emergency department and areas such as oncology, urology, vascular surgery and trauma. <\/p>\n
Medway NHS Foundation Trust said the funding had enabled new machinery and increased capacity for more procedures, such as biopsies, to be performed in one session, thereby reducing waiting times for cancer patients.<\/p>\n
Natalie Harris-Sims, general imaging and interventional radiology lead, said the department carried out about 1,500 procedures each year and called its work “lifesaving”.<\/p>\n
A trust spokesperson said the money had seen its Interventional Radiology (IR) machine replaced with a new state-of-the-art version “which provides improved image quality for clinicians and lower radiation doses for patients”.<\/p>\n
They said IR was a “highly specialised, minimally invasive service” that uses “image-guided techniques” to diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions, including cancer, internal bleeding, kidney disease and blood clots.<\/p>\n
The service also directly supports the obstetric team in performing procedures to stop excessive bleeding after childbirth, which can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.<\/p>\n
Harris-Sims said: “Every year the IR department carries out around 1,500 procedures, many of which are time critical and can be lifesaving.<\/p>\n
“In addition to better image quality for clinicians and lower radiation doses, shorter procedure times and more biopsies for patients, the new machine helps us develop and expand the range of treatment options in the future.”<\/p>\n
She said other long-term financial benefits included reducing the need to outsource procedures.<\/p>\n
Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, external<\/a>, X, external<\/a>, and on Instagram, external<\/a> and listen to BBC Radio Kent on Sounds<\/a>. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk, external<\/a> or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.<\/p>\n