Thousands of patients will benefit from a major investment in specialist endoscopy services at Hemel Hempstead Hospital, with extra appointments, improved facilities and the latest, state-of-the-art equipment to help detect cancer earlier.
The refurbished unit officially opened this week following a multi-million-pound upgrade of the centre, as the NHS prepares to improve facilities for patients needing endoscopy, including bowel cancer screening.
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is investing in its bowel cancer screening service ahead of the introduction of FIT 80, a national programme designed to help detect bowel cancers at an earlier stage.
From October 1, the threshold at which people are referred for further investigation has been lowered, enabling clinicians to detect smaller traces of blood in samples.
This will help identify more cancers and pre-cancerous changes before symptoms develop, when treatment is more likely to be successful.
Improved facilities at Hemel Hempstead
The refurbishment will increase the unit's available capacity by approximately 50%, providing appointments each month for colonoscopy, gastroscopy and trans nasal endoscopy.
Improvements include an additional procedure room, together with associated pre-procedure and recovery spaces. The ventilation system has also been replaced.
The extra capacity will enable activity currently delivered through additional ad-hoc sessions to move into the regular planned service.
More clinics and specialist staff
Bowel cancer screening pre-assessment clinics will increase from seven to ten a week, while colonoscopy capacity will increase from 7.5 to 10.75 lists per week. Additional results clinics will also ensure patients receive their results and any necessary follow-up promptly.
Outside of the bowel screening programme, there will also be additional pre-assessment clinics and endoscopy availability for all procedures.
The changes are supported by investment in additional endoscopy nurses and specialist nurses. Further capacity is also being provided in histopathology and radiology to support the additional diagnostic work generated by the screening programme.
New state-of-the-art equipment
The unit is now equipped with a state-of-the-art endoscopy processor, scope guide technology and six new colonoscopes, thanks to funding from NHS England. The Trust has also bought five new gastroscopes.
The new technology improves lesion recognition, thereby strengthening diagnostic accuracy, and supporting the identification of abnormalities. Early recognition of abnormal endoscopic findings is expected to improve patient outcomes. Newer scopes also incorporate features which help to improve patient experience during procedures.
Rachel Thorman, Chief Operating Officer at West Herts Trust, said:
“This is a significant investment in our bowel cancer screening service and, most importantly, in our ability to detect cancer as early as possible.
“We have been planning carefully for the introduction of FIT 80, investing in our facilities, equipment and specialist workforce so that we can manage the additional demand while continuing to provide a safe, high-quality and timely service for our patients.
“The improvements at Hemel Hempstead will give us better facilities and greater flexibility, while our additional clinics, staff and new equipment will ensure we are well prepared for this important next step in bowel cancer screening.”
David Taylor, MP for Hemel Hempstead said:
“This is fantastic news for local patients. Increasing capacity by around 50% will make a real difference—supporting earlier diagnosis, more appointments and more procedures being delivered here in Hemel Hempstead.
“Investing in state-of-the-art equipment and specialist staff means patients can receive high-quality care closer to home, with a better experience throughout their treatment.
"It is particularly welcome that the Trust is preparing for the expansion of bowel cancer screening, helping to identify cancer earlier, when it is often more treatable to save lives.
“This is a major investment in Hemel Hempstead Hospital and in the dedicated NHS staff who provide such vital care for our community.”
This investment forms part of wider improvements to endoscopy services across West Hertfordshire. Alongside the refurbishment at Hemel Hempstead Hospital, work is progressing on a new purpose-built endoscopy unit at St Albans City Hospital, which will further increase diagnostic capacity and help meet growing demand for cancer screening and other planned-care services.
Images from the new state‑of‑the‑art bowel screening and endoscopy services.
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