University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) celebrated the official opening of its brand-new endoscopy unit this week with a special guest, Paralympic powerlifter Ali Jawad.
The purpose-built state-of-the-art unit at the Leicester General Hospital, which opened its doors to patients on 5 November, will allow an additional 9,000 patients to be seen annually, significantly reducing waiting times and improving access to care.
Ali, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at the Leicester General Hospital in 2009, cut the ribbon to signify the unit was open.
He said: “This unit is a game-changer for patients. As someone who has lived with Crohn’s for years, I understand how vital it is to get answers quickly. It’s fantastic to see such a modern facility that will help people get the care they need more efficiently. I’m proud to support something that will make a real difference.”
The new purpose-built unit includes six procedure rooms and 20 private pods with en-suite facilities, creating a modern and comfortable environment for both patients and staff. It will enable UHL to meet growing demand for endoscopy services, supporting quicker diagnosis and treatment for thousands more people each year.
One of the first patients to be treated at the unit was Nafisa. She said: “This is my first time at the unit and when I arrived, I thought wow, this is beautiful. Everything feels so new, bright and calm. Everyone, from the receptionist, who was very pleasant and welcoming, to the nurse, talked through everything with me about the procedure. I feel very comfortable, and I know that I’m in good hands, which makes such a difference.”
Alongside the new building, UHL has also introduced a new paperless digital system that will transform the way endoscopy services operate. The new system streamlines patient journeys, from referral and booking through to procedure and follow-up. This will consolidate clinical information already held digitally, improving continuity of care, and allowing clinicians to document care in real time using digital devices.
Simon Barton, Deputy Chief Executive at UHL, said: “We know how important an earlier diagnosis is for conditions such as Crohn’s Disease and cancer, which endoscopy procedures help to detect. We already provide a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to more than 30,000 patients every year and this new facility will give us even more capacity to help patients across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to be seen sooner in a purpose-built environment.”
Construction began in March 2024 and was delivered by Henry Brothers Construction, whose Managing Director, Ian Taylor, said: “This is a proud moment for everyone involved in developing the Endoscopy Unit. The team at Henry Brothers has significant experience of delivering health and public sector investment in the Midlands. It gives us great pleasure to see this latest healthcare project fully operational and providing valuable care and diagnostic services to the people of Leicestershire and surrounding areas.”