BREAST Cancer patients will see dramatic changes to the facilities on offer at Grantham Hospital in the new year.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust is relocating breast care services in Grantham to a new centralised department that will be a dedicated area for women being treated for breast cancer.
The development project has been divided into three phases.
The first phase, earlier this month, involved moving the breast outpatients’ service into the old admission and discharge lounge.
Phase two of the project will see the development of four purpose-built clinical examination rooms, and the third phase will incorporate diagnostic facilities within the department - meaning women could have a mammogram and ultra sound in-house rather than having to visit a mobile screening facility.
Surgical services matron Jane Hervey said: “The development of the new facilities at the hospital in Grantham is really great news.
“It will be nice for all of our breast patients to be able to visit a centralised unit that is dedicated to breast cancer care, and it is thanks to the collective hard work and vision of the breast care staff.
“All of the staff are excited about the development project, and look forward to working in the new unit.
“Over the course of the project we will see the development of a new waiting area and four examination rooms. All of the works when complete will be of great benefit to our patients.”
The trust is also working with Breakthrough Breast Cancer, which has conducted a breast cancer patient survey at Lincoln County Hospital, Grantham Hospital and Pilgrim Hospital in Boston to gather opinions about the services.
A service pledge has been written, setting out the standards of care patients can expect, what service improvements people can expect in the future, and how patients can make their voice heard if they think something can be improved.
l Are the improvements a good idea? What are your experiences of the breast cancer service? Send us an email: comment@granthamjournal.co.uk