A state-of-the-art lung function machine funded thanks to the generosity of Stars Appeal supporters is significantly improving care for patients with respiratory illness, cancer, and other conditions.

The £74,000 piece of equipment is helping local people receive vital diagnostic tests closer to home, eliminating the need to travel to distant hospitals.

Used by the hospital’s Respiratory Department, the machine supports the care of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, cancer, and heart conditions by monitoring how well their lungs are functioning. Each year, approximately 2,000 patients rely on this service, with around 3,500 tests performed.

The new machine means patients can undergo lung function tests at Salisbury Hospital rather than travelling to centres such as Southampton or Bournemouth. It also enables specialist lung muscle testing to be carried out at Salisbury for the first time, expanding the scope and speed of respiratory diagnostics available locally.

Lead Respiratory and Sleep Physiologist Punam Korat said: “If this machine had not been funded by the Stars Appeal, we wouldn’t have been able to do the tests our patients need, and they would have had to be sent to other hospitals. Our patients can now be seen more quickly, and we can perform a specialist muscle function test that was previously unavailable.”

Kirsty Dudin, 76, from Stratford-sub-Castle, is among the many patients already benefitting from the new equipment. She said: “I need regular testing for my lung disease, so it makes a huge difference to be able to have these tests done locally. “Travelling to Southampton is still possible for me, but if I become reliant on public transport it would be quite a journey to get there. Thanks to the Stars Appeal funding the new lung function machine here in Salisbury, getting to regular appointments is not difficult.

“It is great to have access to the very latest lung function testing equipment. I feel well cared for by the Respiratory Department who are able to monitor my condition so effectively with the new equipment. I feel very special and fortunate to be benefitting from the generosity of a lot of local citizens.”