Patients in Lincolnshire are now able to access improved endoscopy services across the county thanks to a £1.4 million investment.

Throughout the COVID-19 global pandemic United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust says it has has been proactive in ensuring that essential diagnostics and treatments can continue.

This has been possible by looking at different ways patients could safely access services and seeking investment to improve access for patients to diagnostic imaging, such as endoscopy.

The Trust has also been able to implement improvements and install brand new state-of-the-art equipment which delivers far greater reliability and safety.

These changes represent a total investment of £1.4 million across County Hospital Louth, Grantham and District Hospital, Pilgrim Hospital Boston and Lincoln County Hospital.

This includes new state-of-the-art decontamination equipment for ensuring endoscopes are clean and safe as well as the latest Olympus imaging equipment, enabling the team to continue to perform a wide range of diagnostic tests.

This is particularly important, as the faster a patient is diagnosed, the quicker they can access treatments.

The new equipment has also seen the complete restoration of this diagnostic service at County Hospital Louth, enabling many patients to reduce their travel time to their appointments.

Grantham received its delivery of new equipment last autumn, as Nub News reported here.

Teri Would, Clinical Services Manager for Endoscopy, said: "Our endoscopy services have remained open throughout the pandemic and the team have taken a number of steps to ensure that these services have been and continue to be safe and accessible for patients.

"All four of our endoscopy units are 'COVID-19 minimised' to ensure the safety of our patients and staff. When faced with failing and older equipment, the Trust rose to the challenge of finding ways to install and fund new equipment.

"The endoscopy team successfully bid for NHSE funding made accessible via the Endoscopy Adopt and Adapt fund, which was jointly accessed by the whole Midlands region.

"We are pleased that our endoscopy services have the investment that they need, so they can support the health of the county. "