New Equipment Helps Royal Gwent Hospital Pass Test

Blood and other tests are a fundamental and increasing part of the treatment and care of patients in the NHS – and a major investment at the Royal Gwent Hospital is helping meet the demand.

New pathology and cytology laboratories at the Royal Gwent Hospital are making use of the latest equipment to increase the amount of tests that can be analysed on the site and reducing the time in which they can be made available.

Investment of £1.4 million has helped provide an open plan blood sciences lab with automated analysers that allow the department to deal with increased amounts of tests, including those taken by GPs, for a population of 600,000 patients across Gwent and south Powys.

The new cytology lab has enabled the pioneering use of liquid-based cytology to provide cervical screening services.

The new lab also provides a modern environment for screeners to work in, one which they helped design themselves.