New state-of-the-art dialysis machines have arrived early at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital – with half of them already being used to help treat patients in need.
The 14 machines at the renal unit were paid for with a £180,000 donation from the Friends of Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and were expected to arrive in January.
But all of the machines were delivered around two weeks ago, and seven of them are on the ward and used by patients.
The equipment has replaced a number of out-dated machines on the unit – some of which were more than 10 years old – and will be used to help treat patients with chronic renal problems. Hospital staff have praised the Friends for their donation, saying the new machines will make a ‘big difference’.
Every year the renal units at the RSH and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford provide around 30,000 sessions, equating to 190 patients dialysing three times a week for 52 weeks a year.
There are 38 dialysis machines in use at RSH.
Kerry Malpass, service delivery manager for critical care, said: “The new machines will make a big difference, as they are replacing some that were at the end of their life on the ward.
“We were expecting the machines in January, but they have all arrived and we have been using seven of them on the ward.”