Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has opened a refurbished and expanded £6 million scanning centre at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, significantly boosting MRI and CT capacity across the trust.
Working with GE Healthcare, the trust has installed two new Siemens MRI scanners to replace a single older unit, alongside a new Canon CT scanner supported by the lung cancer screening programme. The upgrade is part of a ten-year radiology managed service and an overall £42 million investment in imaging.
The trust expects the new equipment to scan more than 850 MRI patients and 450 CT patients each month. The wider replacement programme covers all HHFT sites, including Winchester, Andover and Alton, aiming to reduce downtime from ageing machines, cut waiting times and support staff development.
Dr Andrew Thrower, Clinical Director of Radiology, said the new scanners offer state-of-the-art technology for accurate diagnosis and improved working features for radiographic staff, adding that patients will benefit from a purpose-built environment and optimal imaging.
The upgrade forms part of a rolling plan that also includes Andover War Memorial Hospital.