New breast cancer unit officially opens

A new breast care unit in Stafford is due to be officially opened.

The facility at the County Hospital started operating earlier this year and the University Hospitals of North Midlands said it had made a real difference for patients and staff.

The NHS Trust said it brought "breast care services together under one roof".

It also said it provided patients "with a modern and welcoming environment designed to improve their experience from diagnosis through to treatment".

The first patients were welcomed into the building in April and now it is fully open, the official ribbon-cutting will be attended by staff, patients and supporters.

The trust said the hospital needed the two-storey facility because the previous breast unit was "no longer able to meet the demands of modern breast care".

It said the new building would offer clinics, diagnostics, outpatient care and support services.

The new centre has four consultation rooms, an enhanced treatment room, three counselling rooms, two mammography rooms and two ultrasound rooms.

The trust also said the building had been designed to speed up patient care and reduce the need for patients to move between different areas.

It said more tests could now be carried out at County Hospital, reducing the need for patients to travel to Royal Stoke University Hospital.

At the time the first patient was admitted, Michelle Ellitts, superintendent radiographer, said: "Advances in technology and increasing referrals mean we need more space and facilities that support how we deliver care today.

"This new unit allows us to provide a smoother, more joined-up experience for patients, with better flow and the ability to carry out more tests in one place.

She also said: "Just as importantly, it creates a calm and reassuring environment at what can be a very frightening time."

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