Ultrasound clinic in Chipping Norton to continue

Thanks to a generous donation of £38,000 from the League of Friends of Chipping Norton War Memorial Community Hospital and collaboration between Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, people in Chipping Norton and surrounding villages will continue to have access to ultrasound diagnostics at the local community hospital.

Both Oxford Health and OUH provide outpatient clinics at the Chipping Norton War Memorial Community Hospital.

In early 2020, Oxford Health Site Administrator for Chipping Norton War Memorial Hospital, Jane O'Gorman, was approached by OUH about locating an ultrasound clinic at Chipping Norton Outpatient Department.

An alternative setting was needed, as the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford was focusing on caring for patients with COVID-19 and acute work.

"We had clinic room availability at Chipping Norton, so we agreed to go ahead," said Jane O’Gorman.

"We loved hosting the service, but as we started to come out of the first COVID-19 lockdown, the ultrasound system needed to be returned to the JR."

"On the day of our final clinic, one of our receptionists said to me that it was only the fact that there was no longer system availability for Chipping Norton, otherwise clinics here could have continued. So I suggested the League of Friends would probably love to help and now we are on the cusp of re-opening clinics for the people of Chipping Norton and surrounding areas."

Toni Mackay, Operational Service Manager for Diagnostics at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

"Oxford University Hospitals and Oxford Health have been working in partnership and are delighted to announce a new ultrasound service in Chipping Norton.

"Oxford Health has provided the space and Oxford University Hospitals has provided the staff for the service. This will allow us to provide local, more convenient imaging to patients in West Oxfordshire while reducing footfall in our acute hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We'd like to say a huge thank you to the Chipping Norton League of Friends who have purchased the ultrasound equipment and whose support will make such a positive difference to our patients."

Jo Graves, Chair of Chipping Norton Community Hospital League of Friends, said:

"We have been supporting the local hospital for a long, long time and were very pleased to support this time, too.

"Whenever there's an opportunity to keep services local, we take it. It is quite a trek from Chipping Norton and the surroundings to go to Oxford. And of course the local clinic alleviates pressure in other hospitals. We are here to help."

The ultrasound diagnostic clinic will start taking referrals in February 2021, following staff training on the new device, and will be used for any non-pregnancy ultrasound referrals.

The clinic will be managed by trained staff from OUH, in collaboration with Oxford Health's Chipping Norton Outpatient Department reception team.

Pictured: Jo Graves (left), Chair of League of Friends of Chipping Norton War Memorial Community Hospital, and Annette Morton, Ultrasound Modality Manager from OUH.