Patients with a range of skin conditions will benefit from the latest UVA machine that has been installed within Walsall Manor Hospital’s Phototherapy department.
Dermatology patients suffering from conditions including Psoriasis, Eczema, Nodular Prurigo, Lichen Planus and Vitiligo will be able to use it.
The UVA machine uses UV light to reduce inflammation and slow the production of skin cells. It treats skin conditions which have not improved with topical treatment.
A patient will bathe in a solution called psoralen for 15 minutes prior to using the machine. Patients will then enter the machine and a calculated dose of UVA is given. This is repeated twice a week over several weeks.
Phototherapist Lisa Garrett said: “This will be a huge benefit to patients as it is a treatment which will improve their skin condition. If they can better control their skin without the need for regular topical creams, this will give patients a better quality of life. Some patients have reported improvement of their mental health and an increase in their self-confidence following successful clearance of their skin condition.”
The new equipment will also benefit the phototherapy staff too.
Lisa added: “The new phototherapy machine is the latest model in the market and intuitive to use. It incorporates the latest technology and needs less maintenance. This will enable us to provide safer and effective care.”
The team has received positive feedback from patients who have changed to the new machine:
“The new machine makes it quicker to achieve treatment dose so the duration for each treatment is shorter. This means I get to spend less time in the hospital so am able to carry on with my daily life and pay less parking charges too!”
Clinical Nurse Specialist Phototherapy Lead, Joy Hamilton said:
“Our old machine was 25 years old so it was overdue for an update and this new machine is fantastic!
“A lot of money has been invested in this which has really made us feel valued as a service.
“We work hard as a department to deliver safe and effective care and by purchasing this new equipment that is exactly what we are doing. It makes us proud to work here for the trust”.
The team is made up of:
- Dr Seow Foo – Lead Phototherapy Consultant
- Joy Hamilton – Clinical Nurse Specialist Phototherapy Lead
- Amy Badkin – Senior Phototherapist
- Lisa Garratt – Phototherapist