The Highlands’ first dedicated diagnostic unit for urology has opened at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
The Highland Urology Centre (HUC), which will be based in the hospital’s outpatient department, aims to focus expertise in a single area to benefit both patients and staff.
Clinic rooms will allow specialists and medical staff to carry out consultations, uroflowmetry (measuring urinary flow rate) and other minor procedures.
It is hoped that more procedures will become available once Covid restrictions allow them.
‘A new way of working’
Sara Ramsey, a consultant urologist at NHS Highland, said: “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.”
She explained that an ageing population can mean doctors will see more people with common urological conditions such as problems passing water.
Miss Ramsey added: “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.”