Cancer care improvements pledge for Warwick Hospital

Innovative new ways of delivering cancer care have been recognised at an awards ceremony organised by charitable trust, the Rigby Foundation, with a promise also to enhance facilities at Warwick's Aylesford Unit.
Maya Harris from South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust accepting this year's Rigby Award.Maya Harris from South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust accepting this year's Rigby Award.
Maya Harris from South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust accepting this year's Rigby Award.

This is the third year of the awards which encourage clinicians at South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust to submit proposals for improving services.

The winning project, which receives a generous grant, came from the urology and radiology department and involves undertaking prostate biopsies in a creative way under local anaesthetic rather than general, reducing the risk of infection.

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The method will use special equipment, purchased using the grant, which will also be used by the colorectal and gynaecology teams for the treatment of cancer and incontinence.

In March 2015 the Rigby Foundation also donated £250,000 towards the new Stratford Hospital development which is now known as The Rigby Unit.

This on-going support will continue with the foundation recently pledging to fund enhancements to the Aylesford Unit at Warwick Hospital. This will include upgrading the facilities for patients undergoing chemotherapy, enhancing the environment for patients and visitors and creating a new outpatient waiting area which will give patients more privacy. Carrying out this development work this will enable the trust to offer local communities access to first class services in the most comfortable settings.

Sir Peter Rigby said: “The Rigby Awards were designed to complement the launch of the Rigby Cancer Unit at the new Stratford Hospital in 2017. The awards are essentially designed to encourage ideas and innovative solutions in the medical field through submissions from the hospital medical professionals to research and develop their ideas.

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"Now in its third year, to date a variety of initiatives have been actioned for the most part around cancer related studies and programmes. This year we will review fresh ideas whilst offering continued support to some of the earlier programmes.

"The awards are part of a long term commitment to enable South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust to offer cancer treatment in a state-of-the-art environment. After seeing the impressive unit at Stratford Hospital, we wanted there to be parity between the Rigby Unit and the Aylesford Unit.”

Glen Burley, Chief Executive at South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are extremely grateful for the continued support from the Rigby Foundation. Their generosity is giving our clinicians the opportunity to implement pioneering treatments that will improve the care we offer to patients. The support they have given to the trust is evident in The Rigby Unit at Stratford Hospital.

"Cancer patients are able to receive treatment in a comfortable, pleasant environment with access to enhanced facilities and equipment. I am delighted that this is going to be replicated at the Aylesford Unit.”