An advanced treatment facility with £50,000 worth of new equipment which will benefit patients with skin problems from across the city has opened at St Luke’s Hospital.

The new dermatology (photo therapy) day care unit on F4 was created to house five ultraviolet machines – two of which were purchased jointly by Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Friends of St Luke’s.

Dr Andrew Wright, consultant dermatologist , said: “The number of patients we have been treating has gradually increased over the years and our old treatment facility became cramped and our machines overworked. It is therefore a huge development in our service to be able, not only to acquire two innovative UVB machines but also to move to a new dedicated, technically-advanced, ultraviolet light treatment facility.

“We are very grateful to the Friends of St Luke’s who funded one of the machines and to the Foundation Trust for the other, as well as having invested in our new, revamped unit.

“Staff are delighted be working in new modern facilities with enhanced equipment which will greatly benefit the care of patients with skin problems in Bradford and beyond.”

Ultraviolet light treatments for patients are delivered using two different forms; UVB machines treat the patient’s body while UVA machines can also treat the patient’s hands and feet as well as their body.

These standard forms of treatments are used widely on patients with skin problems, particularly psoriasis, but also eczema and various other less common skin conditions such as polymorphic light eruption, lichen planus and other rarer kinds of eczemas.  

Dr Wright added: “Such treatment has been offered in Bradford for over 30 years but when I first arrived in the city in 1990 we had only one combined UVA/UVB machine at the hospital. 

“About 12 years ago we purchased another UVB machine which, at the time, delivered a relatively new form of UVB called TLO1 treatment which has proved extremely successful, particularly for treating patients with psoriasis.

“We now have one existing UVA and two new UVB machines for the body alongside our existing two UVA machines for hand and foot treatments so patients really should see an improved service as the facility brings new technology along with increased space for patients, better changing facilities and more private seating areas.

“Future dermatology plans include computerised booking and patient records to ensure that the patient experience becomes more streamlined and timely, which is obviously a considerable step forward in the management of patients with skin problems in Bradford.”

An additional twenty thousand pounds was also spent remodelling the existing clinical space within the new dermatology unit. The three rooms which house the UV machines were redesigned and upgraded, while patients changing facilities were also improved, male and female waiting areas created and four treatment rooms added.