Additional Endoscopy Theatres open at University Hospital Llandough

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has recently unveiled two new endoscopy theatres within the endoscopy department at University Hospital Llandough.

The expansion provides additional capacity to the unit’s existing 4 theatres in University Hospital Llandough and forms part of the Health Board’s recovery programme for planned care following the effects of the pandemic.

To align with the Shaping our Future Wellbeing strategy, ‘Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together’, the expansion will be supporting the national programme of work commissioned by Welsh Government to improve endoscopy services. Furthermore, it will enable more patient focused care to include diagnosis, treatment and endoscopic surveillance procedures more in a timely manner.

Matt Temby, Director of Planned Care at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, said: “Endoscopy services play an essential role in investigating suspected cancer and helping to diagnose other serious conditions, therefore timely access to endoscopy procedures and surveillance is a priority for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

“As the demand for endoscopy services increases and we continue to address the waiting lists, the expansion of the endoscopy unit will enable us to provide over 5,000 more procedures each year, helping to reduce the waiting lists and improve access to endoscopy services for patients in Cardiff and Vale.”

The new endoscopy theatres were officially opened on the 7th February by Dr Jill Swift and the family of Jan Kirk, who the theatres are named after.

Dr Jill Swift worked within University Hospital Llandough as a Consultant Endoscopist for over 20 years. The late Jan Kirk was a senior nurse, who worked as the Endoscopy Unit Manager from 2012 – 2017, during which time she was influential in expanding and developing the unit. Her family opened the Jan Kirk Theatre as a tribute to her legacy within endoscopy services.