Diagnostic Equipment Making Vital Contributions to Patient Care in Skegness

The benefits of new diagnostic equipment bought through community donations at Skegness Hospital are now being seen on its two hospital wards.

The three pieces of equipment, which perform a wide range of blood tests to complement assessments, mean staff have an earlier indication of what treatment patients need and can prevent some from travelling to Boston for further investigation.

The equipment started out being used by staff in the hospital's Urgent Care Centre, but is now being championed on the wards by Healthcare Support Workers Gina Barke and Helen Shaw.

In the last six months alone, the machines have been used to perform in excess of 250 tests across both areas.

Staff Nurse Carol Taylor has been working with Gina and Helen to train them to use the equipment. She said: "This equipment is a fantastic tool for Skegness. For some patients, making the journey to Boston can be unsettling and by having those test results available in minutes we are able to quickly determine the next steps in a patient's care and whether a transfer is necessary. This in turn saves time and costs for both the patient and the hospital.

"For staff, particularly our Healthcare Support Workers, it enhances their skills and they've shown great interest in increasing and sharing their knowledge."

Jackie Shaw, Matron for Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, which runs services at the hospital, added: "We are very grateful for the continued support of the community and groups such as Skegness Hospital Watch and the League of Friends. We are delighted to be able to demonstrate the difference this donation has made in the short time it has been in place at the hospital."