Dr Strutt added: “A quicker response means that we also limit the opportunities for the microbes to spread – and that’s essential in a hospital environment.”
The new equipment enables the team to identify bacteria and fungi directly from cultures – and in some cases the sampled can be identified within minutes rather than days.
Turn-around times have been markedly improved and this has a strong impact on how the Trust is managing bacterial infection. This allows clinicians to start using – or stop using – the right antibiotics much earlier.
Dr Strutt added: “Many patients prefer to be out of hospital as quick as possible, and be home in a familiar environment. By investing in new technology, we’re making our hospitals safer and making life so much better for so much better for our patients.”
And thanks to the new way of working, the Trust has also enabled the Trust to save precious NHS resources of more than £75,000 a year.