Patients in South Cumbria are set to benefit from a new £1.6million state-of-the-art CT scanner and scanning suite.
Work is due to start on the suite at Barrow’s Furness General Hospital this month and will take 12 weeks.
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust said it marked an important investment in healthcare for the South Cumbrian community and would bring about a substantial improvement in technology, patient experience, colleague experience and long‑term service resilience.
A mobile CT scanner unit has arrived at the hospital for staff to train.
The current CT scanner will be decommissioned on Thursday February 19.
From then, all outpatient CT appointments and some inpatient and emergency department scans will move to the mobile unit. Hospital staff will accompany patients to and from the unit.
For acutely unwell patients or people unsuitable for movement outside, the hospital will continue to provide urgent scanning through a back-up CT‑capable scanner in the hospital’s radiology department.
Deborah Nelson, divisional general manager for community, cancer, diagnostics and end of life, said: “This project represents a major investment for the hospital and will make a real difference to our patients and colleagues. It also demonstrates our trust strategy – ‘Putting Patients First’ – in action.
“The development has required an enormous amount of planning due to the complexity and risks involved in removing the old scanner and installing the new one. I’m incredibly proud of the work everyone has put in so far, and I’m looking forward to seeing the benefits this will bring to the hospital and to the people we serve.”
Kirsty Thompson, deputy head of radiology at FGH, added: “The new scanner means patients in the Barrow area will have access to the latest CT technology, including scan types that haven’t previously been available here. It will reduce travel, shorten waiting times and give us far better diagnostic capability.
“For colleagues, the difference will also be huge. The new equipment and improved environment will make it a much nicer and more efficient place to work. For local people, this investment shows that services at FGH are being strengthened. It’s a very positive step for our communities in South Cumbria.”
