As we continue to adapt our services, our Ultrasound Team have transformed one of our ultrasound rooms into a rapid access service for Accident & Emergency, Ambulatory and In-patients requiring immediate ultrasound scanning.
The new area enables rapid access for scanning – an important clinical investigation to aid diagnosis in a range of conditions – and means patients requiring this after coming into A&E, as an Ambulatory unit referral, or admitted as a hospital in-patient, can be scanned quickly.
The service, provided by Consultant Radiologists, Consultant Sonographer and Advanced Practice Sonographers, has already reduced the length of time these patients have to wait for a scan, often reducing the need for admission or the length of their stay in hospital.
Rachel Hulse, Head of Ultrasound, said; “Before the service was set up, some patients would have had to wait several days for a scan, awaiting access to our existing facilities. Now these scans are being performed as soon as possible, sometimes as soon as the referral is received, which ensures the process is faster and more streamlined both for patients and our clinical staff. We hope this will help us during the busy winter period as we look to make processes as effective and efficient as possible.”