A NEW kind of nurse specialist has joined the ranks at the trust which runs Colchester Hospital.

Michele Boffardi is one of the new nurse endoscopists specially trained to carry out colonoscopies and gastroscopies to detect for potential issues in the bowel or stomach.

Already working as a nurse, when a new training programme was developed to specialise in the procedures, he took the opportunity to develop his skills, so alongside doctors he could help diagnose patients who may have bowel or stomach conditions needing further treatment.

Michele, who is based at Colchester Hospital, said being able to carry out the procedures has really helped the workload, particularly during the pandemic.

He said: “We are able to release time for the doctors as we’re able to see a lot of patients.”

Michele joins several other new nurse endoscopists working across the East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation rust.

A colonoscopy is a check to investigate what is happening in your bowel, often performed with a tube carrying a camera. A gastroscopy is a similar procedure investigating the stomach and small intestine.

Michele added: “The gastroscopy procedure takes a few minutes and patients are given a local anaesthetic before. I work with two other nurses and health care assistants. We can take biopsies during the procedure too for further examination.”

Anyone experiencing any of the following symptoms should speak to their GP:

  • Blood in your faeces or vomiting blood, having persistent abdominal pain or diarrhoea, reflux, losing weight unexpectedly, having a change to your bowel habits, feel particularly bloated, struggle swallowing, feeling a lump in your tummy or feeling unusually tired or lacking in energy.