A CHARITY has donated thousands of pounds to purchase a mobile bladder scanner for the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Representatives from Darwen-based VM and BW Lloyd charity recently visited the hospital to hand over a cheque for £8,000.

It has seen the hospital purchase a portable, hand-held ultrasound device which can perform quick, easy and non-invasive scans of the bladder.

John Jacklin, trustee of the charity said: “The trustees are pleased to have been able to help with the purchase of the scanner and hope it helps patients and staff alike with easier none invasive bladder scans and helps with the efficiency of caring for people."

The new scanner – which is expected to be in use by April - has an ultrasound probe to reflect sound waves from the patient’s bladder to the scanner. Data is then transmitted to a computer in the handheld unit to automatically calculate the bladder volume.

Denise Gee, fundraising manager for hospital charity ELHT&Me, added: “Thanks to WM and BW Lloyd, the hospital now has its first mobile bladder scanner and we would like to thank them for their very generous donation.

“Having a mobile bladder scanner is much better for patients as the scanner can be taken to their bedside rather than the patient having to be taken to where the scanner is.”

Bladder scanning is painless for the patient and eliminates the risks associated with catheterisation.

The entire scan takes only a couple of minutes to complete, does not require operation by a sonographer, and may prevent unnecessary invasive procedures.