The Friends have donated a new piece of diagnostic equipment that brings a service for patients with some sleeping disorders to the Hospital of St Cross.
Specialist Respiratory Physiologist , Trish Matharu explained “The ResMed NOX Medical device, which cost £5,000, is a lot smaller than earlier models and has made domiciliary sleep studies much easier to tolerate. Used for the detection of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA), the equipment is taken home by the patient, and worn in the comfort of their own home.”
“Whilst asleep the kit is designed to monitor nasal flow, oxygen saturations, and thoracic and abdominal movements. Together this information is then downloaded and analysed to determine the presence, or indeed absence, of OSA. The channels used with this piece of equipment allow us to obtain a lot of information about the quality of one’s sleep. With its detail, we are able to more efficiently diagnosis or eliminate any suspicion of OSA. We have also managed to adopt its use to check the efficiency of any treatment we initiate. Once treatment for any diagnosed OSA has been initiated, the kit can be re-used to compare before and after results. Its use within the department is multi-fold, and the quality of data helps us to continue to provide a succinct and efficient service for our patients.”
Consultant Clinical Scientist, Joanna Shakespeare added “Historically these test have always been done at Coventry. We had, in the last few months started to perform the more basic oximetry sleep study at Rugby but did not have the resources to perform the multi channel test. Now thanks to this donation we can undertake all of our sleep diagnostic testing at Rugby preventing patients in the local area having to make multiple trips to Coventry. With current staffing levels we will be able to perform up to three studies per week at Rugby.”
“We are very grateful that the Friends of St Cross have enabled this service to develop at the Hospital of St Cross, and would like to express our thanks from the department and our patients accordingly.”
Willy Goldschmidt, Communications Lead for the Friends said "The Friends are always keen to support initiatives which help to bring services nearer to the patients in Rugby. By a happy coincidence I was accosted by a patient, while doing an in-store collection, and asked why he had to go to Coventry for sleep trials. When I mentioned this to Juliet Starkey, General Manager at the Hospital of St Cross, she advised that there had been some discussions about the possibility of doing some of these tests here in Rugby and was about to enquire about the possibility of the Friends supporting this. Of course we were delighted to be able to do so as a result of the excellent support we are experiencing for the Diamond Jubilee Appeal which means that we are able to continue making equipment donations while raising money for the new Blood Taking Unit."