F E A T U R E
CHESTER REASES I CAPACITY BY STALLATION
With 2.5 million more people in England projected to be living with major illness by 2040, increasing diagnostic imaging capacity has never been more important for the 215 NHS Trusts across the UK. Playing a critical role in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as cancer, as well as many neurological and heart conditions, the demand for Magnetic Resonance Imaging( MRI) in particular is at an all-time high. However, currently the UK has far fewer MRI scanners than nearly any other comparable country.
To address this increasing demand and help tackle the NHS waiting list, Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, collaborated with its partner of 20 years, Canon Medical Systems UK, to expand its inhouse MRI capacity in a unique way. Utilising last-minute funding awarded to Greater Manchester from the NHS, the hospital leveraged its long-term relationship with Canon Medical to design and deliver a bespoke, purposebuilt MRI suite that will serve as a permanent solution for the hospital.
The integrated modular unit, consisting of two modules to accommodate waiting and changing rooms, houses Canon Medical’ s Vantage Orian MRI system, a second MRI scanner for the hospital. Replacing a separate external mobile unit situated in the car park, the new unit allows clinical staff to serve in-patients, as well as emergency and outpatients, within the main hospital – something that had previously not been possible.
Jennifer Riley, Cross-sectional( CT / MRI) Service Lead Radiographer at Tameside Hospital, said:“ This wasn’ t just a case of procuring MRI equipment to meet increasing demand. Careful consideration needed to be given to where the new system would be housed to meet the needs of both our in-patients and outpatients. Working with Canon Medical, we needed a permanent solution to increase MRI capacity within a very tight timeframe to meet the requirements of our funding. Ensuring accessibility
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