The County Hospital offers a combined Vascular Service with Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. The role of the Vascular Service is to assess and treat patients with arterial and venous disease and conditions.

Patients seen range from those with varicose veins to strokes, aneurysms, gangrene and claudication.

There are two vascular surgeons based at The County Hospital. Out patient clinics are held on Tuesday mornings, Wednesday afternoons and alternate Monday afternoons. The surgeons are supported at these clinics by the Clinical Vascular Scientist based in the Vascular Unit. Patients requiring urgent non-invasive tests can often have these performed as a one-stop appointment. The majority of tests performed in these clinics involve colour duplex ultrasound scanning and blood pressure measurements.

Each surgeon has one session in alternate weeks in Hereford for patients requiring treatment for varicose veins.  This would normally be Radiofrequency Ablation carried out under local anaesthetic.

Patients requiring major arterial surgery will normally have all their pre-operative investigations and assessments carried out at The County Hospital but will be transferred to Worcester for their operative period. The surgery will be carried out by the surgeon they saw at The County Hospital. Worcester Royal Hospital has a dedicated Vascular Ward and High Dependency Unit, Vascular Nurse Consultant and Anaesthetists. There is a vascular surgeon on call 24hrs a day. This ensures patients receive specialised, safe care during and after their surgery. When patients are ready for discharge they can be transferred to a hospital nearer to home for rehabilitation if required.

Useful Links