Patients at Denbigh Hospital receiving IV therapies are benefiting from new equipment and facilities thanks to generous fundraising work by the hospital’s League of Friends.

The hospital’s refurbished IV therapy suite has so far seen 876 treatments carried out for patients from Denbigh and South Denbighshire over the last six months.

The new suite was developed at a total cost of £195,000, with a substantial legacy left to the hospital by Denbigh resident Mary Jackson funding the majority of the project.

Mrs Jackson, who developed IT software with her husband Harry during the 1970s and 80s before retiring to Denbigh, left her estate to the League of Friends to develop services at the hospital following her death in 2015.

IV therapy sees patients for conditions including osteoporosis, Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s disease and colitis, as well as pre- and post-chemotherapy care, receive medication directly into their bloodstream.

Patients requiring IV therapy often need multiple treatments every week, with the procedure sometimes taking as long as eight hours to complete.

By having a dedicated IV therapy suite at Denbigh hospital, patients from the area are saved from travelling long distances multiple times a week for treatment.

The new suite provides the latest equipment to patients receiving therapy at the hospital in a purpose-developed facility which can be expanded over the coming years.

Margaret Madoc-Jones, chair of the Denbigh Infirmary League of Friends, said: “We’re delighted to see the unit completed and making a real difference to patients receiving IV therapies.

“The service here had outgrown its previous location at the hospital, so we’re delighted to see the work completed and providing a much better environment for staff to work in.

“The staff said that the room needed to meet modern clinical standards, and provide a place for people to receive IV therapies, saving them having to travel to Glan Clwyd Hospital or Llandudno.

“We’ll now have more patients from this area coming here, and hopefully allow the service to develop in the future.”

Alongside the new IV suite, a memorial plaque recognising Mrs Jackson’s donation has been put in place at the hospital’s chapel.

Wendy Tee, matron at Denbigh Hospital, said: “The new IV therapy suite greatly improves the environment we’re delivering treatment to our patients.

“People who need IV therapy can be sat here for long periods of time, so having a comfortable, modern environment for them to be based makes a real difference to the quality of care we can deliver.

“We’re all very grateful to the League of Friends for their work supporting the hospital.”

Alison Kemp, assistant area director for Community Services, said: “Ensuring people receive care as close to home as possible is a key aspect to delivering modern healthcare.

“The IV suite is a fantastic development for the Denbigh and wider community, and we hope it will benefit many people for many more years to come.”