A world class breast screening unit has been officially opened at the City of Coventry Health Care Centre (CoCHC) and will benefit thousands of local women each year.
The scheme was overseen by Arden Estate Partnerships (AEP) on behalf of University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust (UHCW), who will run services from the unit.
Pictured cutting the ribbon to open the new unit (l-r) are: Appeal Ambassador Jayne Rice, a survivor of breast cancer; UHCW Chairman Andrew Meehan; and Free Radio’s Roisin McCourt.
Construction work to the suite began in August 2016 and was completed in October. Fund raising for this vital facility and equipment was undertaken by the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) Charity with the support of local people and organisations and collectively raised £430,000 for the Breast Cancer Unit Appeal.
Adela Appleby, Head of UHCW Charity: “We are very grateful to Community Health Partnerships for contributing an additional £130,000 to the Project. The ongoing costs of the unit are being met by UHCW NHS Trust, the provider of breast screening servicers in Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull. The new unit came about after the UHCW NHS Trust approached us with the idea of funding a new breast screening unit. AEP undertook a feasibility study to determine if the existing space within the CoCHC could be reconfigured to house a new mammography unit, together with ultrasound and x-ray equipment, as well as installing Wi-Fi for both staff and patients. We launched the appeal to raise £400k in May 2014 and the ongoing support from local organisations has been amazing including a £20,000 donation from the local UPS in Coventry. The new unit will allow us to screen an additional 15,000 women to diagnose and treat their breast cancer quickly helping to save thousands of lives,” she said.
Nikki Hopkins, who attended the event from AEP, commented: “I am delighted to see the project come to fruition following the utilisation study work. “Not only has it reduced the cost of void space within the building – making the cost of estate more efficient – it has provided an area for further mobile services to be commissioned from the external hook up areas to the rear of the site. That’s not to mention the opportunity to deliver more accessible services to the people of Coventry, and saving more lives.”
A plaque mounted in the suite displays the names of the donor organisations who helped to raise funds for the project.