A MOBILE endoscopy suite at Basingstoke hospital has been hailed as a success – with nearly 1,800 patients treated in the first year.

The equipment, which is rented by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust from company Vanguard Healthcare, was installed to reduce waiting times.

Since the suite opened, waiting times have been reduced dramatically, and they were almost non-existent at one point.

Kathy Barton, clinical services manager at Basingstoke hospital, helped to co-ordinate the contract.

She said “Managing such a high volume of patients was essential if we were to develop our endoscopy facilities. However, we were not willing to compromise our high standard of patient care, hence the decision to use a mobile endoscopy suite. This allowed us to deliver the same level of service as that in the hospital.”

The mobile unit was operational within two weeks of being installed at the hospital in February 2013. Mrs Barton said that planning had been key before the suite was installed.

She said: “The success was definitely in the planning. We detailed exactly what was required, enabling us to set a realistic and achievable timescale in which to complete the project.

“As a result, we experienced very few complications and the positive feedback in the patient comment books were testimony to its success.”

The installation of the suite was part of a strategy by the hospital to increase service levels for endoscopy treatment.