Point of Care Ultrasound Scanner

Bedfordshire Hospitals Charity are fundraising to support the purchase of two brand new Point of Care Ultrasound Scanners (POCUS) to support diagnosis and therapeutic care within the department.

The portable scanner, which is battery operated, will enable quicker diagnostics for emergency patients presenting within the department. We anticipate that the scanner will be used a minimum of 20 times during a 24 hour period, most likely it will be used 30-40 times during this same period. This remarkable piece of equipment will help our clinical staff to diagnose multiple conditions including heart attacks, pulmonary embolisms, gall stones and abdominal aneurysms. Most of these conditions can be life threatening if left untreated. The ultrasound scanner also provides some therapeutic treatments such as supporting cannulation, administering drips and fluids and providing ultrasound guided nerve blocks and regional anaesthesia.

The POCUS also has the additional benefit of having smaller and more paddles with which to work with smaller and younger patients. Our current ultrasound scanners are too big for our paediatric patients which can make procedures really difficult.

Finally, as we train our next generation of emergency medics it is vital that we have the latest technology for them to use. “Imaging at the point of care” is now best practice within the NHS, so our new ultrasound scanners will enable our trainees to work with the best updated technology to make faster and more accurate diagnoses, thereby ensuring the best patient outcomes possible.

We are hoping to raise £50,000 to support our clinical staff to provide even faster diagnostics and treatments to our emergency patients.

Please contact fundraising@ldh.nhs.uk for more information.