FOUR new treatment rooms have opened for adults with cystic fibrosis at Southampton General Hospital.

There is also a new quiet room for staff to speak to patients and their families, as well as two larger meeting rooms.

Consultants, nurses, and physiotherapists can now carry out more weekly clinics thanks to the extra space.

The expansion of the regional specialist unit comes as staff see more patients with the genetic disorder that mainly affects the lungs and digestive system.

Dr Julia Nightingale, clinical lead for cystic fibrosis, said: “We are seeing an ever-increasing number of patients with cystic fibrosis here in Southampton, with patients living longer than would have been expected in the past, so our services needed to grow to accommodate this.”

Previously, treatment for the condition focused mainly on paediatric care due to shortened life expectancy, but over the past 20 years, better treatments and nutritional help for young people has led to a dramatic increase in survival.

It is estimated that 80 per cent of children born today with cystic fibrosis should live into their mid-40s.