County’s men to benefit from new service

Hereford County Hospital can now offer patients a Trans perineal Template Biopsy Service. This allows a large number of tissue samples to be obtained from different parts of the prostate, improving the detection of small cancers compared with other biopsy methods.

The process uses ultrasound to guide the biopsy, fusing it with MRI images.

Cheltenham-based charity ROBOCAP and members of the Herefordshire Masonic Charities Association visited the hospital after awarding Wye Valley NHS Trust £16,000 to fund the equipment.

ROBOCAP had previously assisted with the purchase of an ultrasound scanner for the department in 2015 and with this latest contribution, the Trust was able to purchase the stepper unit, enabling a far more accurate and quicker assessment of a patient's needs to help determine what type of surgery, if any, is required.

The new service will also reduce on-going follow up appointments and additional diagnostic tests which can cause stress and increase waiting time for patients.

This latest equipment completes the second stage in the build up to a full “one stop clinic,” allowing patients to complete their consultation without travelling out of the county.

ROBOCAP is launching a new £20,000 appeal for further equipment to complete the service giving the Trust’s urology team the chance to offer a one-stop assessment clinic for men with a raised Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) - a blood test designed to screen patients for prostate cancer.

Consultant Urologist Mehmood Akhtar said: “Our patients are set to benefit hugely from this latest equipment and I thank ROBOCAP and the HMCA for contributing to the purchase.

“This will make a massive difference to the Trust and help us deliver a 21^st century prostate screening service to the men of Herefordshire.”