York Hospital has begun performing a new major advancement in diagnostics which bosses say will significantly improve care for patients.
The endoscopic ultrasound service (EUS) is now in operation at York Hospital and will enable patients to be seen who are affected by conditions including gastrointestinal cancers and pancreatitis.
Previously these patients had to travel to other hospitals in the region.
Now patients can undergo an advanced diagnostic procedure at York without needing to travel to Leeds or Hull.
The service, run by York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, will cut down on delays in diagnosis and reduce the stress of long-distance appointments for aournd 200 patients a year.
The procedure takes 30 minutes and offers enhanced imaging accuracy, with the added ability to perform biopsies during the same session.
Dr Thomas Berriman, consultant in gastroenterology, has led the development of the £500,000 service at York after 18 months of specialist training at Castle Hill Hospital in Hull.
As the trust’s only EUS-trained clinician, Dr Berriman will deliver this much-needed local service while expanding the expertise of other consultants in the future.
“EUS combines endoscopy and ultrasound to give us a highly detailed view of the digestive tract and surrounding organs,” said Dr Berriman.
“It’s particularly effective in diagnosing and staging conditions such as cancer and pancreatitis.
“Now, instead of travelling for this test, patients can be seen right here at York Hospital, with faster access to care when it matters most.
“This new service will ensure patients get the right test at the right time, without having to travel. It also helps position our Trust as a leading centre for specialist diagnostics, attracting top consultants and future-proofing the quality of care in our region.”
York Hospital now joins Hull as one of the only two centres offering this service in Humber and North Yorkshire.
“This is the result of years of hard work from a passionate team,” said Dr Berriman.
“We’re proud to offer local patients access to high-quality, timely care and continue driving forward innovation in our services.”
Dr Prashant Kant, also a consultant in gastroenterology with the trust, described the launch as a “gold standard” moment for patients in York.