First dedicated diagnostic unit for urology opens at Highlands' main hospital
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The first dedicated diagnostic unit for Urology has opened at Inverness' Raigmore Hospital.
The move allows the expertise of the entire team to be based in the one area benefitting both patients and staff.
The Highland Urology Centre (HUC), based in the hospital’s Outpatient Department, has clinic rooms for nurse specialists and medical staff enabling them to carry out consultations, uroflowmetry (measurement of urinary flow rate), and minor procedures such as prostate biopsy and flexible cystoscopy (examination of bladder and urethra).
It is also hoped, once Covid restrictions reduce and remobilisation allows, to have more procedures available in the centre.
Sara Ramsey, Consultant Urologist with NHS Highland explained: "With an ageing population, we can see more common urological conditions such as problems passing water.
"There is also an increased awareness of conditions including prostate, bladder or testicular cancer as well as more awareness that the urology service can help with problems patients may previously have been embarrassed to ask for help with such as incontinence or erectile dysfunction.
"Previously the clinics and where procedures were carried out were based in separate areas in the hospital making it logistically very difficult for patients to have additional procedures if these were required after their initial consultation. "
Miss Ramsey continued: “Being more flexible and having our expertise concentrated in one, physically distanced, area should help improve the service and allow cross over of our knowledge and expertise.
“Like any new service we need time to get used to this new way of working but by being more flexible we will be able to accommodate more patients for a comprehensive work up for their urology problems when we do see them.”
Seeing patients via the Near Me service has worked well during the pandemic and it is hoped that this will still be used but, for some things, a face to face appointment is required.
Miss Ramsey said: “We know travel is a huge issue for patients across the region.
"Hopefully the role of the diagnostic unit will mean that if patients do need to travel, we are more likely to be able to offer them a range of services at the same visit reducing the need for them to have to come back for further appointments.
“We are also exploring options as to how we can use technology to carry out more of this work in our rural general hospitals.”
She added: “It’s exciting to see this centre come to fruition and as a team we are very much looking forward to working with our patients in this new area.”
