NNUH consultant radiologist to lead nationally
Health Minister John Hutton today announced the appointment of Dr Erika Denton as the National Clinical Lead for Diagnostic Imaging. Erika is currently a Divisional Clinical Director at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Her appointment completes the appointment of a new team of clinical experts to help drive progress on diagnostic services across the National Health Service.
NNUH chief executive Paul Forden said: “This is a tremendous achievement and we would like to congratulate Erika on her success and wish her well for her new role. Erika will remain a consultant radiologist with us but will give up her divisional clinical directorship in order to manage her new national role.”
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is leading the way nationally in imaging (x-ray, US, MRI and CT) with the establishment of one of the country’s first new Radiology Academies and the use at NNUH and Cromer of a hi-tech digital imaging system (PACS) which has done away with the 19th century technology of x-ray film.
Dr Denton said: “I feel honoured to have been chosen for this exciting new national role and am looking forward to working with imaging colleagues to develop services that will improve patient care and are pivotal to the delivery of the 2008 18 week start to treatment target.
The next four years will be a challenging, but very exciting time for imaging and I intend to work with colleagues to ensure that our imaging services, regardless of who or where they are provided, are delivered in a timely, efficient and effective manner.”
Erika's appointment was made by a panel comprising Sir George Alberti, Mike Richards, Matthew Coats and Neil Goodwin, following an open competition. Erika will be working three days a week in her new national role.
Four new national groups will lead work in the main areas of diagnostics. They will support the NHS in addressing workforce, technology and service redesign changes needed to transform diagnostic services in order to meet the 18 week target from GP referral to treatment. The four groups and their chairs are:
- Imaging – led by Dr Erika Denton, the National Group on Imaging will include work to ensure Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), technology enabling X-rays and scans to be stored and sent electronically, is rolled out across the NHS.
- Pathology – chaired by Dr Ian Barnes, it is being delivered through the Modernising Pathology Programme and includes work to develop pathology networks, reprofile pathology workforce and a national project on sevice redesign.
- Endoscopy – fronted by Dr Roland Valori, and is working to ensure delivery of a patient focused endoscopy service by firstly improving access and introducing choice through service improvement, secondly by improving performance of endoscopists through training and thirdly ensuring sustainability through a robust quality assurance strategy.
- Physiological measurement – led by Sue Hill, Chief Scientific Officer, being delivered through workforce development, moving services closer to the patient, and increasing plurality of provision
John Hutton said: “I am delighted to announce Erika’s appointment, to join Ian, Roland and Sue in leading these new expert groups. They will push forward plans to transform diagnostic services.
If we are to meet the 18-week target from GP referral to treatment we need to radically improve diagnostics. “I’m confident that the expertise we have within these groups will enable us to drive forward towards that target.”