A
new dedicated LDL apheresis unit - one of only three such specialist
facilities in the country - has opened at Harefield Hospital.
The
new unit is equipped with five state-of-the-art LDL apheresis machines,
which remove harmful LDL cholesterol from the bloodstreams of patients
who have not responded well to either surgery or medication.
At
the opening ceremony, attended by both staff and patients, Royal
Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Bob Bell
said:
"High-profile procedures
rightly garner accolades, but this is the kind of service which also
deserves attention and which we, as a specialist trust, must champion.
"It's both life-saving, and life-changing, in that it has a huge positive impact on the independence and confidence of patients.
"Leading
units such as this only come to fruition with vision and leadership, so
I'd like to thank consultant Dr Mahmoud Barbir and nurse consultant
Alison Pottle for their hard work."
Also
speaking at the opening event, Dr Barbir said: "This is considered to
be the largest centre in the UK offering this treatment, and a unit of
which we can be very proud."
Alison
Pottle, who has been closely involved in the development of the unit,
said: "This is a truly national service, with our patients coming from
as far afield as Devon, Suffolk and Kent.
"We
want to raise the profile of this treatment, so that we can let many
more potential patients know that it is available, and that Harefield
now has a dedicated unit."
Patient
Stephanie White, who began her LDL apheresis in 2002, added: "The
treatment has really improved my quality of life. My health is better
and I feel much more independent.
"Now I know that I can go for a walk or do the shopping without worrying about how I feel afterwards."
- For more information, visit the LDL Apheresis Unit information page.
