REDDITCH'S Alexandra Hospital is set to get a multi-million pound investment in brand new, state-of-the-art equipment.

The £4.2million investment will mean that patients having endoscopy procedures for gastrointestinal, respiratory or urology-related conditions will receive more advanced investigations, including high-definition cameras and top-of-the-range optical technology – all of which allow for clearer examination of patients.

An endoscopy is a procedure where the inside of the body is examined by using a long, thin, flexible tube that has a camera at one end for diagnosis or treatment.

The unit at Redditch’s Alex Hospital was recently awarded national accreditation for providing the highest quality of care to patients.

This new equipment will also help the units at Kidderminster and Evesham to provide a similar service.

It is hoped the updated, advanced equipment will also help the departments to retain high-quality endoscopy staff, as well as recruit additional staff as the service expands to meet the growing demand for endoscopy investigations, both locally and nationally.

Richard Lovegrove, clinical lead for endoscopy at Worcestershire’s hospitals said: “Endoscopy is an extremely important tool in diagnosing cancers and pre-cancerous conditions within the bowels, lungs and urinary tract.

"We have an extremely busy endoscopy department and this investment, together with the recent accreditation and improved Care Quality Commission report, all show we are working towards delivering the best possible care to the people of Worcestershire.”

The new equipment is expected to be installed and in use by January.

The Advertiser previously reported the unit at the Alex Hospital had been awarded national accreditation for providing the highest quality of care to patients.

The recognition had come after a rigorous assessment by the Joint Advisory Group (JAG) of the Royal College of Physicians and British Society of Gastroenterology.

JAG sets out national standards for endoscopy units throughout the UK, to ensure the quality and safety of patient care.

The endoscopy departments received the acknowledgement after meeting JAG’s strict criteria, including a significant reduction in waiting times and improvements to the environment of the units, including a new state-of-the-art decontamination unit at the Alex Hospital.