Renal patients at Glangwili benefit from new ultrasound scanner thanks to charitable funds

Patients receiving dialysis at Glangwili General Hospital are experiencing the significant benefits of a new ultrasound scanner purchased with charitable funds. The scanner has enabled the Renal Dialysis Unit to deliver their service locally and minimise the amount of travelling time for dialysis patients.

In order to receive dialysis, renal patients must be given an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) which gives access to the blood system. An AVF is a passageway between an artery and a vein which is surgically created for dialysis treatments.

To ensure that dialysis is effective the AVFs need to be assessed regularly. This is where the new ultrasound scanner comes in: it provides staff with the means to visualise the AVFs and gauge how well they are working.

Previously the Renal Dialysis Unit at Glangwili used an ultrasound scanner on loan for limited times from Morriston Hospital in Swansea. Alternatively, assessing the AVFs entailed visits to Morriston Hospital. This posed real challenges to patients who were often frail and found the additional travel difficult.

Thanks to generous donations to Hywel Dda Health Charities, the official charity of Hywel Dda University Health Board, the Renal Dialysis Unit in Glangwili has been able to purchase its own scanner.

Delyth Timmis, Senior Clinic Manager, said: “We are delighted to have been able to purchase the ultrasound scanner with charitable funds. It is delivering real benefits for patients and staff, ensuring people can receive treatment as close to home as possible, and enabling us to assess patients within the unit.”

Nicola Llewelyn, Head of Hywel Dda Health Charities, said: “The scanner demonstrates how donations can make a significant difference to the patient experience by providing the local NHS with effective equipment and technology.

“A huge thank you to all donors to the NHS charity – you make purchases such as this possible.”