Singer Ronan Keating made a special visit to officially open the West Anglia Pathology Services Cytology Screening Unit in Newmarket recently. The unit analyses cervical smear tests, providing a service for women across much of South Cambridgeshire and West Suffolk.
New cytology screening unit opens
The new unit combines the hospital laboratories of Addenbrooke’s, Hinchingbrooke and the West Suffolk hospitals. Scientists will be analysing over 60,000 cervical smear tests a year using the latest technology, improving the service for women.
The lab offers a new technology which increases the chances of detecting important abnormalities of the cervix.
Tests are easier to read under the microscope which means that women receive their results earlier, and because they are clearer, there is less chance that women have to return for a repeat test. There are many other benefits to the new unit, including meeting the needs of a growing population, modernising the service and providing facilities for teaching, research and training.
Colin Carr, Addenbrooke’s pathology services manager, said: “I am absolutely delighted that Ronan is breaking from his busy schedule to open this extremely important development in the fight against cancer. The new facilities allow us to use the latest technology and provide a training centre for the whole of the east of England.”
