SALISBURY Hospice now has its own bladder scanner - thanks to its fundraisers.

The Hospice did not have its own scanner, and fundraised the project through its supporters.

A statement from the hospice said: "Salisbury Hospice did not own a bladder scanner and it was not so easy to access a unit either.

"If a patient was thought to be in retention then diagnosis was made by palpation or borrowing from another unit. This meant a member of staff from the small inpatient team had to go and acquire a scanner and return it to the ward loaning it.

"The patient had to wait whilst the bladder scanner was being obtained."

The bladder scanner is used on average ten times a week, and the device reduces the risk of UTIs as well as increasing patient comfort and satisfaction.

Pippa Baker – Palliative Medicine Consultant / Lead Consultant for Salisbury Specialist Palliative Care Service said: "The benefits have been that we have reduced staff time searching the acute hospital trust for a scanner that we can borrow for our patients, which intern has improved care