COMMUNITY ULTRASOUND SERVICE

A generous legacy from a grateful patient and help from the Friends of the Friarage Hospital have allowed the Practice to buy a state of the art Philips ultrasound scanner with technology that allows images to be stored and archived using facilities at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton. The scanner can be used to help to diagnose many illnesses, including those of the gallbladder, kidneys, liver, testes and pancreas, as well as for pelvic investigations including gynaecological and bladder scans.

The weekly service for routine, non urgent ultrasound scans is available for Leyburn Medical Practice patients and for patients from the whole of Richmondshire. It is held at the Medical Practice by staff from the Friarage Hospital’s Radiology Department which means that patients can have these scans without having to travel to Northallerton, whilst still benefiting from the same clinical quality and safety standards as are provided at the hospital.

As well as significantly cutting travelling time for Leyburn and Richmondshire patients, the service also frees up appointments slots in the Friarage Radiology Department for more urgent and complex examinations.

By integrating the service between Leyburn Medical Practice and the Friarage Hospital, patients continue to benefit from consultant and specialist expertise at the hospital, whilst the shared technology means scans are reported promptly, allowing patients and their GPs speedy access to the results. The service also allows local doctors to investigate diseases themselves which may avoid the need for patients to be referred on to the hospital for further investigation.

If your GP tells you that you need an ultrasound scan and you live in Richmondshire, then please ask them to consider referring you to our service.