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About us

The Endoscopy unit is located on Level 7, Zone D of Derriford Hospital (University Hospitals Plymouth).  There are 5 Endoscopy clinical rooms that run morning and afternoon Monday – Saturday 8am until 6.30pm providing both inpatient and outpatient services requiring diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures. 

We are due to be expanding our footprint in the very near future which will take us to 6 clinical rooms and a separate Physiology Suite with more space for check-in and recovery for patients.  This expansion will help with departmental flow meaning that the patient enters through one door and leaves by another which will enable us to continue to be JAG compliant.

For supporting accommodation the unit currently has the following:

• main waiting room for patients after check-in
• 4 consultation rooms for pre-assessment checks with nurses and a separate cannulation room
• 2 secondary waiting areas for patients having lower procedures when they are changed
• 2 changing rooms for patients having lower procedures
• 2 recovery areas for separate gender accommodation with 12 trolleys
• secondary seated recovery for when patients are changed and waiting for an escort
• storage areas for equipment and stock
• administrative office spaces
• kitchen and staff area

Meet the team

We have a multi-disciplinary team of Endoscopists from Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Colorectal and Upper GI Surgery, Radiology, and a team of Clinical Endoscopists and Specialist Registrars.

We have a dedicated Clinical Lead, Training Lead and Clinical Governance Lead for Endoscopy that are supported to ensure that we are achieving a high standard of care for our patients.

The unit has a clinical team consisting of a Matron, Senior Sister, Charge Nurse, Junior Sisters, Registered Nurses, Assistance Practitioners, Senior Healthcare Assistants, Healthcare Assistants and General Support Assistants who will be looking after you pre, during and post procedure.

The unit has Clinical Educators that are responsible for facilitating education and practice development in a care setting for inpatients and outpatients. Supporting staff as they develop their practice. Ensuring sufficient expertise exists to provide specialist nursing care within the facility.

There is a dedicated Pre-Assessment Team that supports to prepare you for your procedure.

The unit has an administration team consisting of Deputy Service Line Manager, Support Manager, Admin Manager, IT Manager, Finance and Governance Manager, Quality and Rota Manager that work together to deliver patient centred care.

The Team Leader, Admissions Coordinators and Admissions Officers ensure that patients referred to the service are booked appropriate appointments adhering to the Trust guidelines.

In University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) we have adopted a competency based approach to staffing. What this means to you is that we ensure that every member of staff is competent to do the task that they are asked to do, independent of grade or nomination. 

Our Endoscopy Unit has a strong philosophy of training and research. We believe that good training ultimately improves the care of patients. This means that some procedures are performed by junior doctors/registrars that are training in endoscopic procedures under the direct supervision of a consultant. As a training hospital we like to encourage medical trainees however the patient has the right to refuse if they do not want a trainee to perform the procedure under supervision.

We have dedicated staff members that are champions for:

• Dementia
• Greener Endoscopy
• Learning disabilities
• Autism
• Diabetes
• Dignity and Respect
• Quality and Diversity
• Inclusion
• Cancer services

As a multidisciplinary team we aim to provide the best possible care for our patients and provide a high standard of education and training for our staff to enable best practice.

Procedures we deliver

The list of procedures performed on the unit which come under the umbrella of endoscopy are as follows:

• OGD (Gastroscopy)
• Colonoscopy
• Flexi Sigmoidoscopy/Pouchoscopy
• Ileoscopy
• ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography)
• EUS (Endoscopic Ultrasound) 
• VCE (Video Capsule Endoscopy)
• PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Insertion, Change or Removal)
• OM and OMPH (Oesophageal manometry and PH studies)
• EMR (Endoscopic Mucosal Resection)
• RFA (Radio Frequency Ablation)
• BCSP (Bowel Cancer Screening Programme Colonoscopy)
• Oesophageal stent/Duodenal stent
• Endosign

Some of these procedures will involve therapeutic treatments (including banding, dilatation) and may require the patient to have repeat procedures for ongoing treatment.

Endoscopy Vision

• Our relationship with those who we treat and work with is based on empathy, respect and dignity
• We embrace and share ideas to improve one anothers practice and as a result enhance the patient's journey
• Communication between one another on this unit will be delivered in a respectful, calm, kind and encouraging manner.