A NEW ultrasound scanner is the centrepiece of two new wards which have been opened at Worcester's Newtown Hospital.

Oak and Elm wards, which each have 28 beds, are now fully operational and are taking patients of all ages directly from the Medical Assessment Unit at Ronkswood or referred by GPs.

The wards, which have views of the Malvern Hills, have been refurbished from space that had been empty for several years and will care for male and female patients with acute general medical conditions. Facilities include a new Toshiba PowerVision ultrasound scanner, which hospital bosses say will cut down the time patients wait for ultrasound scan.

This will also save the need to transport them by ambulance to the Ronkswood department which has the only other similar facility in the city.

Refurbishment

The new wards also have a cardiac department with ECGs and ultrasound scans of the heart.

"Newtown has always been associated with elderly and psychiatric care but we're treating patients of all ages, from the age of 17," said Sister Tracey Fell, who runs Elm Ward with a team of almost 30 nursing staff.

Sister Jane Doughty, who was given the challenge of steering through the equipping and staffing Oak Ward from scratch, said it had been very exciting.

"I've been able to see through the redecoration and refurbishment of the ward and to order new equipment," he added.