Nine ‘modern fit for purpose’ ultrasound scanners approved for four Northern Trust hospitals
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 £700k.
A report presented to the Trust board at a recent meeting 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 both for in-patients/out-patient clinics and unscheduled care.”
The report stated that three would be located at Antrim Hospital, three at Causeway Hospital, Coleraine, two at the Mid Ulster site in Magherafelt and one at Whiteabbey Hospital.
It noted the equipment earmarked for replacement is “beyond the recommended manufacturer five-year lifespan and the manufacturer strongly recommends replacement after this time frame”.
“As a result, SPPG (Strategic Planning and Performance) and the Regional Medical Imaging Board (RMIB) have prioritised these nine ultrasound scanners for replacement and have allocated the funding for this.”
Board members were advised this proposal will “deliver high quality scanning” and will “improve imaging quality”. They were also told “faster, reliable scanning improves diagnosis and treatment pathways for patients and provides reliable equipment for all settings”.
They agreed to the proposal to replace “nine ageing scanners Trust-wide with modern fit for purpose scanners”. 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 approved the business case for the replacement of a CT scanner at Mid-Ulster Hospital which was 18-years-old. Minutes of the meeting said it would be replaced by a “modern, low-dose scanner”.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter