Major investment and improvement work is underway that will make the RUH’s Radiology Department among the most modern and best-equipped in the South West.
In a five-year, £7.5m project, two of the unit’s existing MRI scanners are being refurbished and upgraded.
One CT scanner has already been replaced, and next month (September) building work starts on an extension to house two suites for new state of the art CT and MRI machines.
There will also be larger and better-equipped waiting facilities for outpatients and private waiting areas for inpatients.
Craig Forster, RUH Head of Radiology said: “This is a major investment by the Trust to continue to provide the best equipment and facilities for our patients and to meet the increasing demand for radiology services.
“Some of our existing scanners were ten years old and were coming to the end of their working life, so it was decided to make the commitment to upgrade and improve them.
“With our new PET- CT scanner that was installed in 2016, it will confirm the RUH as a centre of excellence and care in radiology.”
The new CT scanners are the first of their type to be installed in an NHS hospital in the UK. A new MRI scanner that replaces the hospital’s current mobile machine is also the very latest model that offers improved scanning technology.
Cathi Sutherland, Advanced Practice Radiographer CT, said: “This is great news for our patients and staff. By spring or summer next year we will have bigger and better facilities, with five new or upgraded CT and MRI scanners.
“We’ll be able to scan more people in more comfortable surroundings, providing the very latest technology and services that our patients deserve.”
