Patients on the Gastroenterology ward at the Royal United Hospital in Bath are benefitting from a new scanner, thanks to a generous former patient who funded the machine.
Liz Daniel and Vanessa Barthez, Medical Nurse Practitioner on Haygarth ward
Bath resident Liz Daniel spent five weeks on Haygarth ward and wanted to give something back for the care she received.
After speaking to staff to find out what she could do to help benefit patients, she funded a bladder scanner which cost £7,500.
Liz, who suffers from LA Amyloidosis, a very rare and incurable condition said: “The RUH has been there for me on several occasions and my first admission was on to Haygarth ward back in 2000.
“My most recent stay was last summer. I am so thankful to the nurses on the ward for their wonderful care.
“I’m sure having their own bladder scanner will make a huge difference to the staff and patients.”
The scanner, which cost £7,500, uses ultrasound to scan a patient’s bladder to determine its volume, and is a valuable diagnostic tool.
The procedure is painless for the patient and takes only a couple of minutes to complete.
Vanessa Barthez, Medical Nurse Practitioner on Haygarth ward said: “We are so grateful to Liz for this generous gift.
“Many of our patients need to have their bladders scanned to assess their need for catheter intervention. Having our own scanner means that we can get immediate results in a non-invasive way.”
The purchase of the bladder scanner was facilitated by the hospital’s charity, The Forever Friends Appeal.
Thanks to the application of Gift Aid, the ward was also able to purchase extra equipment – given by Liz as a tribute to her late husband, Reginald Jack Daniel OBE.
