MORE than £1m of investments have been made at a Hampshire hospital this year.

Investments in excess of £1million have been witnessed at the Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital in Chandler’s Ford during the past 12 months.

Investment in state-of-the-art medical technologies, patient services and personnel as well as community causes have been made since the hospital’s director, Thelma Henderson, took the helm in September 2018, and further expenditure is planned.

The most recent pioneering medical technology introduced to the hospital this summer has been the Mako robotic-arm which assists orthopaedic surgeons to insert the latest generation of hip and knee replacements with even greater accuracy and precision, supporting faster recovery times for patients, reduce pain and improve functional results and longevity of the implants.

Other investments have included the addition of a new eye laser clinic, to expand the ophthalmology services available to patients, the addition of new technology to support urology surgery, and to also enhance the patient experience, the customer services team has increased from one to five.

As part of the UK’s leading healthcare charity, the hospital has also been dedicated to supporting local charities and community initiatives.

Thelma said: It’s been a busy and exciting few months at Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital.

"By making significant and continual investments at the hospital, we are able to provide first-class facilities and services to our patients as well as retain our 300-strong employees and hopefully attract new ones.

"It’s important to highlight that as a charity ourselves, we are continually looking for opportunities on how funds invested in the hospital not only go back into enhancing the services we provide, but also benefit our local community through supporting worthy initiatives.”

The hospital has supported local youth football club Stoneham FC by offering health and mental wellbeing guidance to the children and providing the club’s physiotherapist with on-going access to the hospital’s gym and swimming facilities for the club’s footballers.

Thelma has also played a role in delivering the curriculum-based Nuffield Health Schools Wellbeing Activity Programme (SWAP) to four schools in Chandler’s Ford, helping to equip pupils with valuable techniques and tools to support their personal and emotional wellbeing.