Driving Healthcare Standards on the Fylde Coast
Spire Fylde Coast Hospital aims to deliver the most comprehensive and advanced healthcare on the Fylde Coast. Working closely with local NHS Trusts in Lancashire and the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) they have invested £1.5 million in the past year in equipment and services to enable them to deliver the highest level of care throughout the region. Photography: Roger Moore
Spire is totally committed to responding to the needs of the local community and working with all other healthcare professionals such as GPs and district nurses to deliver streamlined pathways to healthcare. Early diagnosis is key to the services they provide, and the investment in their teams and equipment ensures everyone has access to the region’s top surgeons and healthcare in the area.
One major investment is a new high technology state-of-the-art MRI Scanner to facilitate faster diagnosis and treatment.
The MRI scanner is suitable for every part of the body, including bones, soft tissues, such as blood vessels, ligaments and muscles as well as the brain. The scans can detect cancer, cardiac disease as well as urgent neurological, gynaecological and orthopaedic conditions.
This high tech scanner is the most advanced on the market with hugely improved imagery enabling diagnosis to be made quicker and easier. The technological advancements of the equipment also means that it will take less time to complete scans, allowing more patients to be seen for a diagnosis than in the past.
The new scanner is also substantially wider than other scanners making it much more comfortable for those undergoing scans. The scanning service currently operates Monday to Saturday, although it may be extended to cover Sundays, if there is patient demand.
Tracy Jackson, Hospital Director commented: “This is a considerable investment for us and we believe it will greatly benefit the whole of the Fylde Coast community. We work collaboratively with the local NHS Trusts and the new scanner will deliver diagnostics not just to our private patients but also those throughout the region who utilise our hospital via NHS services.
The scanner is incredibly efficient and will speed up the diagnosis for a huge range of medical conditions or injuries including cancer, back pain, cardiac, hips and knees. There is significant demand in the local area for cardiac issues and this new machine means these can be identified and resolved much more effectively.
Part of the investment and replacement programme at the hospital is the expansion plan within their imaging team. This involves providing a full suite of the diagnostics by replacing their existing imaging equipment with the state of art new digital equipment, including: A General XR Unit, a Mobile X-Ray machine, an imaging intensifier for theatre work, an Ultrasound machine, plus access to a rapid Mammography service.
During the pandemic Spire Fylde Coast Hospital has worked closely with local NHS Trusts supporting patients throughout Lancashire and Cumbria with cancer treatments as well as urgent and time sensitive conditions.
Tracy continued: “There has been a dramatic increase in demand for private healthcare, particularly during the pandemic when access to GP services has been more restrictive. People are now more willing to fund their own investigative procedures and operations so that they can receive care more quickly and get back to living their lives.”
Employers also see vast benefits of private healthcare as it can dramatically reduce recovery times and subsequently saves them the time and cost of replacing an employee who is absent.
Those individuals wishing to access private healthcare services also have the option of 0 per cent finance for a 12-month period through the hospital.
Wellness and breast screening services are a key priority for many who are keen on preventative care so they can identify and treat any health issues early.
Further investment at the hospital includes an innovative wearable technology device which transforms the rehabilitation process for patients after knee and hip arthroplasty. As the first hospital in the North West to take on this new technology, Spire patients will benefit from the BPMpro Range of Motion (ROM) sensor and BPMpathway app, which allows patients to follow their rehabilitation programme in the comfort of their own home. Patients can take an active role in their recovery through following in-app instructions and reaching phased targets which are relayed back to the hospital in real-time.
Additional innovations for Spire Fylde Coast Hospital include investment in an outpatient procedure room, which is due to be built this year. This will allow less invasive procedures to be managed outside of the theatre environment and these patients will not need to be admitted, meaning they can now be dealt with as day cases. This will also free up more theatre space for patients who need it.
With a keen eye on delivering the healthcare needs of the region through investment in technology, the future long-term plan for Spire Fylde Coast Hospital is completely focussed on an integrated pathway to provide early interventions and improve patient outcomes.
Spire Fylde Coast Hospital
St. Walburgas Road, Blackpool FY3 8BP
01253 308031
spirehealthcare.com/spire-fylde-coast-hospital
