HEREFORD Hospital’s Fred Bulmer Medical Unit opened its doors as a medical day case unit at the end of June 2008.

In its first year 2,036 procedures were carried out – a number which has already been surpassed this year with 2,408 completed between July 2009 and March 2010 alone.

It is a busy unit, specialising in the type of treatments that do not require an overnight stay.

A specifically trained team of nurses delivers infusion treatments, blood transfusions and blood product infusions for a range of conditions.

Medical teams also carry out procedures in the unit which would otherwise have required hospital admission.

Nurses arrive from 8.30am with patients booked in and assessed throughout the morning.

Patients are met in a warm and welcoming atmosphere with views of an inner garden courtyard to provide distractions from treatments.

After being assessed, they choose where they want to sit to have their treatments, from a selection of upright lounge chairs, recliners or, if they need to be lying flat, in a bed.

Once they are sitting – or lying – comfortably, blood transfusions, medical infusions or procedures begin. These are predominantly nurse led, but there is access to medical cover at any time.

Some patients need to be clinically assessed by nurses at 15 to 30 minute intervals through the day, for others the intervals are longer.

The department closing time is flexible and is currently under review to allow later opening to suit the patients’ requirements and needs of the service.