Shropshire nursing boss: Centre celebrates first anniversary and incredible achievement

Today is the first anniversary of the county’s Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) opening its doors and in that time it has seen more than 72,000 patients.

This is an incredible achievement with the number of elective diagnostic tests and scans at the CDC, which is based in Hollinswood House, Stafford Park, Telford, increasing significantly.

Feedback we have had from patients is positive with them saying that they are happy to have their diagnostic tests and scans away from our two busy hospital settings, which improves the quality of their experience.

I would also like to thank my colleagues and everyone who has been involved in shaping this state-of-the-art facility. They have worked hard to provide the services in a comfortable environment.

Services on offer at the CDC are radiology (CT, X-ray, ultrasound and MRI), pathology (blood tests); teledermatology and a cardiorespiratory service, which includes tests such as echocardiogram (ECHO), spirometry and electrocardiogram (ECG).

Renal dialysis services are also based at Hollinswood House and provide care for lower risk dialysis patients, with acute services provided at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

There is further positive news this week with data showing that our patients living with frailty are spending less time in hospital following the launch of assessment units at our hospitals in July.

Patients who attend the emergency departments or acute medical units are screened by dedicated Frailty teams, before being transferred to the Frailty Assessment Units (FAU) for comprehensive assessment and care by a specialist clinical team.

Within the first six weeks of opening, nearly 200 patients have been cared for in the units. Early data shows patients are spending fewer hours in an emergency department after arrival (more than three hours) and on average four days less time in hospital overall. An average of 75 per cent of patients are also going back to their own homes and are less reliant on social care for discharge.

The introduction of the FAUs is part on ongoing improvement work at both hospitals, to improve both care and experience for patients using urgent and emergency care services.

Congratulations to all those that braved the charity abseil off the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital’s ward block and have raised a fantastic £25,000 so far.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) Charity, Lingen Davies Cancer Fund and the RSH League of Friends came together to organise the event which was a great success.

Money raised from the event helps local people who receive treatment at our hospitals.

Thank you to the 39 people who took part in the abseil and all those supporters who turned up on the day to cheer them on – we are so grateful.