A Darwen-based charity has donated thousands of pounds to purchase a mobile bladder scanner for the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital.
Representatives from the WM and BW Lloyd charity recently visited the hospital to hand over a cheque for £8,000 to purchase a portable, hand-held ultrasound device which can perform quick, easy and non-invasive scans of the bladder.
“The Trustees are pleased to have been able to help with the purchase of the scanner and hope it helps patients and staff alike with easier none invasive bladder scans and helps with the efficiency of caring for local people,” said John Jacklin, Trustee of WM and BW Lloyd charity.
The new scanner – which is expected to be in use by April - has an ultrasound probe to reflect sound waves from the patient’s bladder to the scanner. Data is then transmitted to a computer in the handheld unit to automatically calculate the bladder volume.
“Thanks to WM and BW Lloyd, the hospital now has its first mobile bladder scanner and we would like to thank them for their very generous donation,” says Denise Gee, Fundraising Manager for hospital charity, ELHT&Me.
“Having a mobile bladder scanner is much better for patients as the scanner can be taken to their bedside rather than the patient having to be taken to where the scanner is.”
Bladder scanning is painless for the patient and eliminates the risks associated with catheterisation. The entire scan takes only a couple of minutes to complete, does not require operation by a sonographer, and may prevent unnecessary invasive procedures.