Dersingham unit receives state-of-the-heart equipment

The St Nicholas endoscopy unit in Dersingham has added state-of-the-art 24-hour ECG monitoring equipment to the list of services offered to patients across Norfolk.

24-hour Holter monitors record the rhythm and electrical activity of your heart as you go about your daily activities, such as working, exercising, and sleeping and is routinely used to assess abnormal rhythm of the heart.

Poppy Foley, unit administrator said: "Twenty-four hour ECG monitoring is a common test which means that from time to time, waiting lists can be longer, however, from cardiologist or GP referral, patients can be seen by us generally within a week, meaning they get their results swiftly"

"The new service has been really well received by patients preferring not to attend the local hospital during Covid-19 times and the added benefit of free parking"

The new Holter monitors, which are approximately 2in in length making them almost half the size and weight of previous styles, are much more comfortable for patients to wear.

The leads are also shorter and the unit is waterproof meaning that patients can now shower whilst wearing them.

The unit which retained its JAG accreditation this year and is awarded for measures associated with safe, high-quality, patient-centred care, celebrates its 10th Anniversary in October and prides itself on seeing and treating patients swiftly.

Operations manager Simon F Temple said: “Whether patients are coming to us for an endoscopic procedure, or a monitor, It’s a really easy process.

"Patients can request that their GP or consultant refer to us for their procedure, and we can, in most cases, have patients fitted with their 24-hour heart monitor within a week and for an endoscopy within two weeks, they can then walk away the same day with their endoscopy results which helps give peace of mind.”

St Nicholas endoscopy unit is a JAG-accredited facility, and employs a team of 13.

As part of NHS patient choice, patients can choose to have their endoscopy procedure or 24-hour heart monitor carried out at the unit who GPs can refer directly by using the e-referral system.

Being community based, the facility can offer one to one patient care in a purpose-built unit. Patients receiving endoscopic procedures are informed of the results of their procedure on the day and given a copy of the report. A copy is also sent directly to their GP within 24 hours.