My University Hospitals Sussex is committed to supporting outstanding patient care through the provision of new equipment.

This year saw Southlands Hospital introduce the latest scanning technology for effective eye-imaging.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging method that generates pictures of the back of the eye (retina). It can be used to diagnose and manage many diseases, such as glaucoma, diabetes-related retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.

The necessity of reliable, versatile and high-quality imaging in the ophthalmology service has been increasing in recent years. With healthcare providers within a variety of fields using OCT more frequently and the existing number of OCT scanners across the service at Southlands Hospital being used to capacity, the need for an additional machine was evident.

The newest arrival, funded by My University Hospitals Sussex, is increasing diagnostic capability, improving monitoring of patients and enhancing the clinic. A more advanced version than the standard OCT machine, it can provide detailed scans of the blood vessels at the back of the eye.

“The new OCT machine has helped us continue to work toward the Trust’s Patient First approach here at Southlands. We’re improving care, transforming our systems and working more efficiently already.”

If you would like to help us fund more state of the art equipment to improve the care in your local NHS hospitals, then please consider making a donation today.

If you are visiting, staying in or working at Royal Sussex County Hospital, make sure to drop by our #disabilityhistorymonth exhibition for a fascinating look into the hospital's WW1 history.

Head to the charity desk by LMB Reception for more info!