Lincolnshire County Hospital will now be able to give patients needing breathing tests an improved service, due to a new lab and equipment.
The respiratory function lab cost £90,000 altogether and is used for lung function tests, respiratory exercise studies and sleep apnoea treatment and diagnosis.
The original lab in the hospital had been too small for the demand of respiratory testing. The new lab is bigger, brighter and more comfortable.
The laboratory is also accessible to all, including wheelchair users or bed-bound patients, and has improved privacy for users.
Also, the hospital has appointed a trainee respiratory physiologist to work in the lab.
Clinical Services Manager Becky Shaw said: “We have refurbished a previously disused space within the hospital to create this new laboratory, which offers much more in terms of space and meets the needs of our patients and staff much more closely.
“Not only have we refurbished the area to make a new lab, but we have also purchased and installed new state-of-the-art equipment to ensure that we are able to achieve the highest standards.
“The new lab will enable us to do more respiratory diagnostic testing in future, including supporting home testing for people being treated and tested for sleep apnoea in Lincolnshire.
“We’re really pleased with the new lung function lab, we think patients will see a huge difference in the timeliness of and the quality of care that we can provide in this new facility.”
Source: ULHT
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England will enter the next stage of its roadmap out of coronavirus lockdown on Monday, meaning non-essential retail and gyms can reopen, as well as pubs, bars and restaurants for outdoor service only.
The rules will come into play on Monday, April 12, allowing for the retail sector to open its doors for customers once again, less than two weeks after the latest lockdown easing on March 29, which meant outdoor socialising was allowed for up to six people.
Hospitality venues will be able to reopen as well, but only for outdoor service, with a full reopening planned for May 17 if COVID-19 cases continue to stay low and the vaccination programme keeps its course.
The rule of six does still remain for outdoor socialising, and people are still being asked not to meet indoors with anyone they don’t live with, unless they are part of a support bubble or legally exempt.
People are also still being asked to keep travel down to a minimum, though since March 29 it is no longer a legal requirement to stay local or at home.
The full list of new rules are:
Hairdressers and nail salons can reopen
Public buildings such as libraries and community centres can reopen
Non-essential retail (clothes shops etc) will be able to return to business
Self-contained accommodation will be able to reopen for overnight stays with your household or support bubble
Weddings, wakes and other commemorative events will be allowed up to 15 people, including inside, but wedding receptions must be outdoors
All childcare and supervised activities will be allowed indoors and outdoors for all children, this is also the case for parent and child groups
Most outdoor attractions (zoos, theme parks, drive-in performances) will be able to reopen
Care home residents will be able to have two named individuals for regular indoor visits (so long as they have a negative lateral flow test)
Lincolnshire Police’s assistant chief constable, Kerrin Wilson, said: “Lockdown has hit practically every aspect of life as we know it, and perhaps the hardest part has been not being able to connect with family and friends in person.
“The easing of restrictions will come as a great relief to many, and I hope the new rules, which afford us the chance to socialise safely as well as get back to doing some of the things we all took for granted, will contribute to a feeling of wellbeing for us all.
“While many of you will already be busy making plans, some of you may feel a sense of nervousness or worry about society opening back up, and we want to assure you that we are still here to protect you and enforce the rules when needed.
“The easing of restrictions does not mean that lockdown has lifted completely. It is a journey that we are all on, and to enable later restrictions to be lifted in June we must all do our bit to continue to follow the rules now.
Legal limits on the number of people allowed to gather at one time remain in place, social distancing must be maintained, and masks worn in public settings such as shops or public transport to keep yourself and everyone else safe. Let’s continue to be sensible and watch out for each other.”
Meanwhile, to help with keeping cases low, free rapid asymptomatic tests can be ordered at home. Here are the details.
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