A mobile MRI scanner in the carpark of the Wilson Hospital, Mitcham is reducing patient waiting times from six to four weeks.
The scanner was installed by St George’s University Hospitals NHS Trust as part of a programme to increase access to life-saving diagnostic tests, as the NHS recovers from the impact of the pandemic.
Funding for the project comes from £12million awarded nationally to the NHS in South West London to increase the capacity of existing diagnostic services at the trust’s Queen Mary’s Hospital, Roehampton site, as well as boosting mobile testing in the community.
Locating this scanner at the Wilson means people in the east of the Merton borough can access vital tests more easily.
Our MRI waits at St George’s have gone from six weeks down to four. Epsom and St Helier have been able to reduce their wait along similar lines.”
Richard Billington, Deputy Director of Imaging, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
As well as St George’s, the scanner, provided by InHealth is available to be used by two other south west London NHS trusts, Epsom and St Helier and Croydon. Richard Billington, deputy director of imaging at St George’s said: “This site is really handy for those three trusts as it’s virtually equidistance between each of them. We know that patients who live in this area really do love that it’s on their doorstep.”
The equipment was installed on 4 October and began scanning patients immediately.
Richard continued: “We started doing about 17 or 18 scans a day, but we are increasing that to 21 per day now and eventually into the mid-20’s – which will be absolutely fantastic
“Once we got the site working, our MRI waits at St George’s went from six weeks down to four. Epsom and St Helier have been able to reduce their wait along similar lines.”