Urology Investigations Unit offering faster diagnoses and more treatments opens at University Hospital

Patients are set to benefit from faster diagnoses, shorter waits and more treatment options following the opening of a new Urology Investigations Unit (UIU) at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust.

Based in main Outpatients at University Hospital, Coventry, the new unit brings key urology services together in one place.

Among the first patients to benefit was Kieran Merrick, who returned for a second round of treatment to remove a kidney stone using the unit’s new hi-tech lithotripsy equipment.

“This is the second time I’ve had kidney stones,” he said. “I work in a warehouse and it can be hard to take regular breaks, so dehydration may have played a part.

“The experience was a lot better. Receiving treatment on my back, as opposed to the front, was more comfortable. It seemed easier to take the pain.

“Staff explained to me what was happening, now it’s a case of waiting to find out how successful it has been.”

Kieran’s experience reflects the wider aim of the new unit, which has been designed to help patients get the tests and treatments they need more quickly, while improving the flow of care through the service.

The unit offers greater access to Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy (ESWL), a non-invasive day-case treatment that uses shockwaves to break kidney stones into smaller pieces, helping patients recover sooner and go home the same day.

This is available three days a week initially, compared with the previous visiting service that ran once a week.

New treatments including Rezum and Optilume are also now available at UHCW. These minimally invasive procedures mean some patients can be treated in a clinic setting rather than needing an operation in theatre.

Professor Andy Hardy, Chief Executive Officer at UHCW NHS Trust, said: “The opening of the UIU shows our commitment to improving access, experience and outcomes for patients, in line with Get It Right First Time (GIRFT) best practice.

“By bringing investigations and treatments together, we can make care more efficient and deliver better results.

“It is a major step forward for UHCW, helping our teams deliver modern care now while supporting our ambition to become a regional centre of excellence for urology care.”