The Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s Thoracic Medicine Department has a new addition to its team – its first ever portable arterial blood gas analyser machine – donated by former patient, ICM Chairman Dr Alistair Somerville Ford.

The portable machine is used to test blood for oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, information that is vital when assessing patients who are experiencing breathing difficulties and chest problems.

Dr Timothy Shaw, Consultant Physician at the hospital, said: “The Thoracic Department is very grateful to Dr Somerville Ford for this extremely generous donation. The machine will be of great benefit to our patients.”

Patients of the department – around 250 every year – will be thrilled with this new addition, which not only speeds up the whole process of diagnosis, making it much less uncomfortable, but also allows doctors to perform the tests at a patient’s bedside.

Dr Alistair Somerville Ford said: “As a former patient of the department, I know how vital the services provided within the Thoracic Department are to the local community. I wanted to show my support to the unit by providing funding for the machine, helping the department to keep up its fantastic work.”

Photo credit: Bournemouth Daily Echo. Dr Alistair Somerville Ford presents the machine to Dr Timothy Shaw.

The photos shows, left – right: Helen Lingham – Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, Kayleigh Huggett – REDS team nurse, Laura Swanton – REDS team physio, Dr Timothy Shaw – Consultant Respiratory Physician, Dr Diane Laws – Consultant Respiratory Physician, Dr Sean Weaver – Clinical Director for Medicine, Professor Tom Thomas – ICM Chief Executive, Dr Alistair Somerville-Ford – ICM Chairman, Jackie Cleaver – ICM Executive Director, Sally Sampson – Chief Respiratory Physiologist, and Carol Ferguson – Manager for Thoracic Medicine.