A Greater Manchester Endoscopy Modular Unit based at Fairfield General Hospital has begun treating its first patients.
The twin-roomed unit will operate for six months initially from a temporary modular building set up on the Fairfield General Hospital site.
The unit has been specially commissioned by Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership to support the delivery of endoscopy services following the pandemic disruption.
The unit will prioritise category one patients, which are the most urgent, waiting for an endoscopy.
Dr Roger Prudham, Consultant Gastroenterologist and a Deputy Medical Director at the Northern Care Alliance, which operates Fairfield General Hospital through its Bury Care Organisation, said: “I am overjoyed to see the first patients being treated at the new endoscopy unit.
Royal Oldham Hospital Accident and Emergency Department
Nearly 200 people waited over 12 hours for a bed at A&E departments run by Pennine Acute Trust last month, the highest figures in the North West.
In December 2020, 199 patients at Pennine Acute hospitals waited over 12 hours for a bed. Previous figures recorded 337 (November) and 200 (October) – both of which were the highest in the country for those months.
Pennine Acute hospitals with emergency departments include Fairfield General Hospital and The Royal Oldham Hospital but the data also includes North Manchester General which is now operated by the Manchester University Foundation Trust.
Having previously had more patients waiting this length of time than anywhere else in the country for the prior two months, Pennine has now dropped to experiencing the fifth highest figure nationally. This rose as high as 611 patients for one NHS trust based in London, the highest in the country for December 2020.
A NEW Greater Manchester Endoscopy Modular Unit based at Fairfield General Hospital in Bury has begun treating its first patients. The twin-roomed unit will operate for six months initially from a temporary modular building set up on the Fairfield General Hospital site. The unit has been specially commissioned by Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership to support the delivery of endoscopy services following the pandemic disruption. The unit will prioritise category one patients, which are the most urgent, waiting for an endoscopy. Dr Roger Prudham, Consultant Gastroenterologist and a Deputy Medical Director at the Northern Care Alliance, which operates Fairfield General Hospital through its Bury Care Organisation, said: “I am overjoyed to see the first patients being treated at the new endoscopy unit. It has been a difficult year to say the least and to know that we can now start to treat some of those patients who have waited so patiently for their care