The League of Friends of Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton has given a grant of close to £90,000 to improve and expand eye treatments at the hospital. The League has approved the purchase of two new state of the art slit lamp cameras, which are used to get a clear view of any potential eye damage or disease. Musgrove’s ophthalmology service sees around over 750 patients each week and all these patients require a slit lamp examination. A slit lamp exam is a test that lets an eye care specialist see every part of your eyes — including inside them. It's a common part of a routine eye exam. Today Helen Evans, senior operational manager for ophthalmology at the hospital, said the grant would enable the unit to clear a backlog of cases that has built up since COVID, and also future proof the service. “We were elated on the opportunity of delivering our presentation to the panel, and the generosity of the League of Friends and their continued support to the ophthalmology service. “I can’t thank the League enough as they gave us the opportunity to present to them on what we wanted to spend the money on, and it was fantastic to show them how a slit lamp camera works in practice. “The League has always supported us and this is another example of how they’ve helped us to provide the best possible ophthalmology care at Musgrove.” Clinton Rogers, President of the League of Friends, said: “They put forward a strong case and it is clear this donation will help a lot of patients moving forward. “Our role is to improve services at the hospital and give money for state of the art equipment which perhaps the Hospital Trust might not be able to buy. “We could not do any of this without the amazingly generous support of the public, which we are always so grateful for.” Helen Evans added: “Every patient that comes through an eye clinic will have tests or scans using a slit lamp, as it helps our colleagues to look at the patient’s eyes in greater depth. “With a camera on top of the slit lamp, we’re now able to record those images, so if we need to refer a patient to another hospital for more specialised treatment, we have those vital images that we can send on with them. “Slit lamps have evolved over the years, as ophthalmology has advanced in technology, and it’s now very much about the images we’re able to produce, so this development is so important to us. “It’s a great training tool as well, as the camera gets down to the nitty gritty of every single ophthalmic face-to-face test or scan, which is so useful for colleagues to learn from. “Having this new equipment means we can see even more patients too, as we’ll in effect have two extra slit lamps in our clinic rooms. “Following the COVID-19 pandemic, our waiting times were around 12 months, but we’ve reduced that down to two months, and this will help us to bring them down further. “In our ophthalmology department we’re always looking to see what we can do better and smarter, and that’s something we need to continue as the demand for eye care is ever increasing.” ENDS Further information from Clinton Rogers 07836 575911 or clinton.rogers@btinternet.com PICTURE ABOVE: Rachel Adams, Ophthalmology Outpatients Senior Manager, looking through one of the new cameras, Helen Evans, Senior Operational Manager for Ophthalmology in the background

Surgeons and operating theatre colleagues at Musgrove Park Hospital have thanked charities affiliated with the hospital for their generous donations to help buy a specialist operating table for robotic surgery. Musgrove Park League of Friends, the Somerset Bowel Cancer Charity, Love Musgrove and Somerset Unit for Radiotherapy Equipment (SURE) each raised tens of thousands of pounds, following a range of fundraising events in 2024. Musgrove Park Hospital had its first taste of robotic surgery back in 2023 following an incredibly generous £1.5 million donation from the League of Friends and its supporters. The Da Vinci robot has already meant that surgeons have been able to perform more intricate operations with minimally invasive surgery, improving the experience of our patients. Now, the new operating table makes it much easier for surgeons to use the robot, saving crucial set up time that could free up slots for more patients to have surgery on a single list. “We were so pleased last year to have such a generous gift of a Da Vinci robot from our League of Friends,” says Mr Tom Edwards, a colorectal surgeon at the hospital. “This specialist operating table really is the icing on the cake, as it means we can use the robot to the absolute best of its ability. “It’ll mean that we can get through operating cases quicker thanks to a reduction in the preparation and set up time, with the potential of being able to schedule in more patients for surgery on a single day, helping to bring down our waiting times.” Clinton Rogers, President of the League of Friends of Musgrove Park Hospital, said the charity was delighted to support the purchase of the specialist operating table. "The League of Friends raised £1.5 million to pay for the robotic surgery to introduce robotic surgery to Musgrove, so when we were approached for extra money to fund the table it made perfect sense,” he says. "Providing the best possible equipment for the hospital is a clear aim of our charity. It not only improves the life of patients, but it helps with the recruitment and retention of the best colleagues. “We are enormously grateful to members of the public who continue to support us as generously as they do."