An application to extend the radiology department at a South Cumbrian hospital has been approved.
The plan is to see the former mortuary at Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal converted and extended to house a permanent CT and MRI suite. The scheme is to involve a total increase in floorspace of 111.6 sq metres.
A design and access statement was submitted by Gilling Dod Architects in support of the application.
The statement said the project would ‘increase the capacity of referrals for MRI and CT scans’ as there was an increasing trend in the region in addition to the backlog caused by COVID-19.
The work will see non-compliant, informal staff parking removed and replaced with compliant electric vehicle parking, with a total reduction of four parking spaces.
“Access to the new MRI/CT [area] will be via the main hospital street using existing internal corridor routes,” said the design and access statement. The facility is not accessible externally.”
The statement said the radiology department extension had been carefully designed to ensure that windows brought natural light in but limited overlooking from neighbouring departments.
“The MRI plant has been placed directly above the scanner at roof level,” it said. “This is accessed via an external maintenance stair. This allows for the plant equipment to be serviced, maintained and replaced without maintenance staff entering and disturbing services.”
Scott McLean, chief operating officer at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Westmorland General Hospital, said on a previous occasion that CT and MRI equipment was being housed in rented modular units at the hospital.
He said the extension to the radiology department was being supported by national community diagnostic centre funding of £12m ‘to improve and increase diagnostic services at Westmorland General Hospital over a three-year period’.
Last month Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, welcomed the planned extension.
“This will be a hugely positive step in addressing the backlog in our local NHS and will hopefully lead to much-better outcomes for people living with cancer or who have suffered a stroke,” he said.
“Also, anything which reduces the journeys that local patients have to make for hospital services, especially during a cost of living crisis when fuel prices are so high, can only be a good thing.”
The application, which was submitted by Mark Hampton, of UHMBT, was given approval by South Lakeland District Council.
