Faster diagnosis ahead: Boost for patient care as Northern Trust invests £700k to replace aging scanners

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust board has approved a business case for the purchase of nine new ultrasound scanners at a cost of almost £700,000.

A report presented to the Trust board at its most recent meeting in January said:

“This proposal aims to replace nine ultrasound scanners within radiology across the Trust.

“The service covers a wide range of routine, planned, red flag and urgent examinations for both inpatients and outpatients, as well as unscheduled care.”

The report stated that three scanners will be located at Antrim Area Hospital, three at Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, two at the Mid Ulster Hospital in Magherafelt, and one at Whiteabbey Hospital.

It noted that the equipment earmarked for replacement is “beyond the recommended manufacturer five-year lifespan”, adding that the manufacturer strongly recommends replacement after this timeframe.

“As a result, SPPG (Strategic Planning and Performance Group) and the Regional Medical Imaging Board (RMIB) have prioritised these nine ultrasound scanners for replacement and have allocated funding for this.”

Board members were advised the proposal will “deliver high-quality scanning” and “improve imaging quality”.

They were also told that “faster, reliable scanning improves diagnosis and treatment pathways for patients and provides dependable equipment for all settings”.

They agreed to the proposal to replace “nine ageing scanners Trust-wide with modern, fit-for-purpose equipment”.

The report added that capital funding has been approved by the Department of Health through the Regional Medical Imaging Board.

In November, the Trust board also approved a business case for the replacement of an 18-year-old CT scanner at Mid Ulster Hospital. Minutes of the meeting stated it will be replaced with a “modern, low-dose scanner”.

“This will enable more patients to be scanned and provide back-up for other hospital sites,” the report said.