£8m imaging equipment replacement scheme continues

One of the biggest equipment replacement programmes at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust continues to be delivered, despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

A new MRI magnet was delivered and craned into place at Cromer and District Hospital on Saturday 16 January, having been manufactured and shipped from the USA.

The hospital’s old MRI was craned out of the building on 14 November, and build works to the facility will ensure that patients will benefit from improved quality of imaging, safety improvements and an enhanced experience, which will be operational from 22 February.

The £8m project to replace vital imaging equipment will see the change-out of four MRI scanners a CT scanner at the Trust. An additional CT scanner will also be added in the Radiology department at NNUH.

The scheme follows ‘Aged Assets’ government funding that was announced in 2019, as well as benefiting from Adapt and Adopt Covid-19 funding.

Work has also been ongoing since 9 November to start the reconfiguration of the Radiology department at NNUH to allow for the integration of the new CT scanner, which required the relocation of a Plain Film changing area and the department’s staff rest room.

The MRI and CT machines that are due to be replaced are more than 13 years old and the replacement programme will continue until August.

Dr Rayhaan Rahaman, NNUH Chief of Imaging, said: “Despite the challenges that we face as a result of Covid, we are very pleased that this significant investment is continuing to be deployed. Latest state-of-the-art scanners will make a huge difference to patient care and staff experience with improved imaging and reliability benefiting the Trust with research and training.”

Further installations of the new scanners are expected to take place in February and March.