Patients are set to benefit from equipment bought using funds donated by The Friends of Andover War Memorial Hospital.
The Friends received a £1000 donation from the Andover Heart Support Group, which was put towards buying an I-stat testing machine that can be used across Andover War Memorial Hospital, which is run by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The machine is a small, portable unit that enables blood tests to be carried out in a wide range of departments, bringing blood testing to patients. This is not only convenient for the patient, but it also enables the clinical care team to receive the results faster, enabling clinicians to make an earlier diagnosis.
Veronica Turner, from the Andover Heart Support Group said “We’re really pleased to have donated £1000 to provide such a useful piece of equipment to the hospital.
“We’ve had friends and family who’ve stayed in this hospital and have received such excellent care in the past so we wanted to give something back.”
Sarah McGaughey, clinical matron at the Countess of Brecknock Hospice, one of the areas where the machine will be used said “We are delighted to have received the I-Stat blood testing machine. It is a fantastic facility to have within Andover War Memorial Hospital and will vastly improve patient care and clinical decision making.”
As well as the I-stat testing machine, the Friends also donated money to buy two ophthalmology operating chairs for the surgical services unit.
The chairs are electronically controlled, meaning that patients can get themselves into the correct position for surgery at the touch of a button, rather than having to manually move the chair.
Amanda Hessey, one of the nurses on the unit, said “We’re very grateful to the Friends of Andover War Memorial Hospital for their kind donation, which has allowed us to buy the new chairs. They will help us to improve the care we are able to provide to our patients.”
Ron Lockhart, president of the Friends of Andover War Memorial Hospital, said “We hope that the equipment bought using our donations will help to ensure that people living in the Andover area can access treatment, without having to travel to Basingstoke or Winchester.”
