CHEC to expand endoscopy provision

Community Health and Eye Care (CHEC) has announced plans to expand its provision of endoscopy services.

The company, which is one of the largest providers of community-based ophthalmology services in the UK, launched its first endoscopy service in Nottingham in April and has been working closely with Nottingham University hospital to provide services for NHS patients requiring diagnostic endoscopy.

It said it would extend the offering to new locations over the rest of the year, with state-of-the-art equipment including endoscopes, irrigation pumps, ColoAssist, and CO2 insufflator systems.

There were 187,000 NHS patients waiting for an endoscopy procedure – colonoscopy, flexi sigmoidoscopy, cystoscopy or gastroscopy – at the end of May. Six-week waits have fallen but the overall numbers waiting have continued to increase while the NHS struggles to recover to pre-pandemic levels. According to the Joint Advisory Group on GI Endoscopy’s latest census, overall service activity was 80% of pre-pandemic levels in 2021.

‘The launch of our endoscopy services to people in Nottinghamshire is an exciting milestone for CHEC,’ said CHEC chief operating officer Jon Dore.

‘We have worked hard to ensure that our patients will receive outstanding care, in keeping with the very high standards of care we provide to patients using our ophthalmology services. We are confident that we can make a huge difference in bringing our efficient, bespoke services to patients in need of diagnostic endoscopy services. We also plan to expand our endoscopy services across the country, so we can further support the NHS on tackling the backlog of patients who require these critical services.’

CHEC has recently opened new facilities in Gateshead, the Midlands and Dorset.