BROMSGROVE’S Princess of Wales Community Hospital is marking a year since it began providing a new clinic supporting people who require regular blood transfusions.

Blood transfusions and other IV clinics have traditionally been provided from the larger acute hospitals, before the new clinics opened at the site last August.

The clinics opened in line with Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust’s strategy to provide as much care as possible closer to home.

Since then, more than 40 patients have accessed the blood transfusion clinic, with 89 units of blood successfully transfused over the year.

Staff nurse Clare Almquest, who runs the blood transfusion clinic, said: “The main benefits of the blood transfusion clinic at the Princess of Wales Community Hospital is the convenience and flexibility that it provides to patients.

“We run sessions each week which allow two different appointments to conveniently tie in together, meaning the patient spends less time in hospital.

“Often our patients don’t want to be in a busy acute environment so coming to Bromsgrove for a few hours is much more preferable.

“The new service is much less stressful for patients and staff have seen a real positive outcome of running this type of clinic in a community hospital.”