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A brand-new Planned Investigation Unit (PIU) was officially opened on Thursday 14 December by its first patient, Sarah Weeks, a patient of the unit for over 20 years.

The unit has been custom built to ensure an efficient service to patients and to provide an improved working environment for staff.  The unit has also been designed to enable staff members to take on extra procedures such as a venesection (a procedure to reduce red blood cells) which will result in reducing pressures on medical colleagues. Infusions can now take place in a seated area, which will free up recovery beds for more diagnostic interventions. This will also help to free up bedspace on the Acute Assessment Unit (AAU) and patients usually admitted to the AAU for transfusions can be seen in the new PIU. All of this means more patients can be seen and waiting times will be reduced.

The new mixed sex unit will enable more patients to be seen daily, reducing waiting lists. Located on floor 5 of the main hospital site, the space was previously used as a patient library and has been transformed into a facility which will provide timely, efficient treatments for patients in a friendly, caring environment.

Alison Weeks, Sarah’s mum said: “We have been visiting the unit for over 20 years and it has been in various locations throughout the hospital during this time.  This purpose-built unit is so much better.  We know the staff here well and they always put Sarah’s needs first, they feel like family.  Even during covid, we were seen throughout and made to feel very safe during this time.”

Denise Pike, Senior Sister said: “PIU is very proud of the role it plays within the Trust ensuring that planned activity can be undertaken in a day case setting thus freeing up acute beds.  This helps to aid the flow of patients throughout the hospital and ensures that the specialist beds on the wards are used for those acute admissions.  All of this has a positive impact on waiting lists.”