26 November 2018

The League of Friends of the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital has made a fantastic donation of £43,000 enabling SaTH to purchase two new microscopes, which are already helping patients.

The Olympus and Nikon consultant grade microscopes were bought for the Cellular Pathology Team; and both have integrated cameras which will help with teaching and presentations to multidisciplinary teams.

Amanda Rainbow, Deputy Head BMS Cellular Pathology, at SaTH, said: “Two microscopes have been very generously funded by the League of Friends. Cellular Pathology is a laboratory-based specialty which is funda

Richard Lawn and Dr Angus McGregor with one of the new microscopes

mental to the diagnosis of cancer and its treatment.

The Cellular Pathology department receives over 30,000 histology and non-gynaecological cytology specimens each year and produces around 130,000 stained slides, these are all examined by a team of 11 Pathologists.

“This Autumn, we welcomed two new Consultant Cellular Pathologists, Dr Elizabeth Barlow and Dr Angus McGregor. The increase in consultant staff has already helped the department reduce its turnaround time for histology reports, enabling more rapid treatment for patients”.

Executive Chairman of the Friends, Richard Lawn, said: “The League of Friends is especially pleased to be funding these two new microscopes. Not only are the machines vital in their own right, their presence is a key support for the Trust’s success in recruiting two new consultants in the cellular pathology department.

“Speeding up the vital work of this department is important not just for ensuring rapid cancer diagnosis and thus, treatment, but also for reducing the anxiety felt by patients waiting for any cancer results, even those that fortunately turn out to be negative.”