Topping out complete on new Interventional Radiology Unit

Topping out has taken place on a major expansion, which will enable more minimally invasive treatments to be carried out at NNUH.

The last modular buildings that will form the new Interventional Radiology Unit (IRU) have been craned on to the East wing of the hospital and work is ongoing to fit out the new facility.

The development, which began in September, is due to welcome its first patients in spring 2020 and will increase the number of interventional radiology suites at the Trust from one to four.

The expansion and the addition of state-of-the-art imaging equipment will make the Norfolk Centre for Interventional Radiology a national beacon and training centre for interventional radiology.

Interventional radiology is a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery that uses radiological image guidance such as x-ray, ultrasound and CT to diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions and patients from specialities including renal, urology, oncology, vascular, obstetrics, gynaecology and respiratory.

The new 1,450sqm space will comprise of four large treatment rooms, two recovery wards with side rooms, nurse bases, anaesthetic rooms, offices, staff rest rooms, pre-assessment bays, prep rooms, scrubs, toilets and a main reception with waiting area.

Richard Goodwin, Consultant Radiologist and Chief of Division of Clinical Support Services at NNUH, said: “This is a long-awaited and much-needed expansion for a service that has seen demand go up and up over the years.

More and more procedures are being undertaken by Interventional Radiology as clinical practice evolves towards minimally invasive techniques.

This will be a big step change for us and is an amazing opportunity to deliver what our clinicians are desperate to offer our patients and what our patients need,” he said.

By having more space and more advanced equipment, the Trust will be able to carry out more complex procedures such as prostate embolisation and further cancer treatments such as percutaneous ablation.

David Pechey, IRU lead at NNUH, added: “The new unit will bring lots of potential to develop new treatments and we will be able to manage waiting lists more effectively and link up with educational facilities such as the Radiology Academy and the potential for research.

This is a fantastic opportunity for our multidisciplinary team of nurses, operating department practitioners and radiographers to work in a brand new environment and purpose-built facility with cutting-edge technology. I am very excited as it will give us the opportunity to do new procedures and develop our skills in new areas.”

To see more about the work of Interventional Radiology at NNUH, a short film on the work of IRU can be viewed here

To view a timelapse video of the work by contractors MTX to crane the new IRU onto the roof of NNUH, can be viewed here