A brand-new, state-of-the-art endoscopy unit in the heart of Swindon’s community has officially opened its doors, offering thousands of patients the opportunity to receive potentially life-saving care sooner and closer to home.
The new facility, which was built by Vanguard using modern methods of construction, saw its first patients on 25th November, with approximately 6,000 more expected to follow over the next 12 months.
Having the state-of-the-art endoscopy unit based in the community not only relieves pressure on Swindon’s Great Western Hospital but ensures people waiting for important investigations can get the care they need in a more timely manner, and in a setting that is closer to their home or place of work.
Dr. Ajeya Shetty, Endoscopy Lead, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I'm proud that this new addition will significantly expand our capacity to deliver timely, high-quality endoscopic care. By moving services closer to patients, we can shorten waiting times, support earlier diagnosis and improve outcomes across our community.”
Great Western Hospitals partnered with Vanguard Healthcare Solutions who built the new community diagnostic hub using modular construction. Julian Auckland-Lewis, Programme Director, Great Western Hospitals, commented, “The Department of Health and Social Care is very keen that whenever capital schemes are being pursued, a modular approach is considered for a range of benefits, typically because it can be done faster. And it's also particularly relevant for this scheme, where you're building something in a working environment where you've got other activities and traffic and pedestrian movement in the area. So, if there's a degree of construction activity or manufacturing work that you can conduct away from that site and then bring it in prefabricated, it just means less disruption in the area in which you're placing the building.”
Vanguard specialises in the healthcare sector and worked with staff from different departments in the Trust to agree the perfect design and specification, optimising patient flow for the best experience for patients and staff. Will Moran, Associate Director of Estates and Facilities, Great Western Hospitals, commented, “Vanguard have been very good, linking with clinical teams, not just estates teams...It's taking that personal touch to work with the local teams to ensure that the service get what they want from it, really. It's not just about providing a space. It's providing a space that people want to work in and have a say in, and get what they want from it.”
Vanguard’s UK Business Director, Simon Squirrell, said: “By having more services that were once only available in larger hospitals, based in the community, people will be able to access care and, in many cases, receive important diagnoses more quickly. We are delighted to be supporting our colleagues in the NHS to deliver even more excellent patient care and essential procedures.”
