What's new

sA Huddersfield Royal Infirmary nurse of 34 years performed the opening ceremony of the new £380k surgical outpatients unit at the hospital.

Anne Smith, from Almondbury, first started working in outpatients in 1977 and is one of the 22-strong team of specialist staff working in the state-of-the-art unit caring for around 625 patients a week.

The new unit, situated on the same corridor as the newly opened £3.8m endoscopy unit at the hospital, means all surgical outpatients will be together rather than at different locations in the hospital making it easier for patients.

It has nine consulting rooms compared to four previously and there is also a counselling room for patients and their families.

A new bleeper service enables patients and their relatives to spend their waiting time away from the waiting areas, if they wish, in the café or shop for example, without missing their appointment.

Patients book in at the main hospital reception as usual and are directed to the new department where they are offered a bleeper. This will be triggered by the unit when the appointment time approaches.

The unit also offers comprehensive consultations and same-day investigations for both breast and colorectal patients.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon David Wise, clinical head of anaesthetics and surgery, said: “ We are very pleased to have this new state-of-the-art unit where we can offer a much improved service for our surgery patients at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary during their follow-up appointments.”