People across Norfolk and Waveney will be able to have imaging faster and earlier diagnoses thanks to three new diagnostic centres set to be built in the region over the next two years.
A project to create new outpatient imaging buildings at each of the three hospitals in Norfolk and Waveney has been given the green light by the Department of Health and Social Care and will see £85.9 million capital invested, the largest investment in the region for over 20 years.
The new facilities will be based at the James Paget University Hospital, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn. Each of the sites will house MRI and CT scanners as well as X-ray and Ultrasound imaging. These are used for diagnosis and monitoring of a very wide range of conditions, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory diseases, trauma, musculoskeletal diseases, neurology and, most recently, COVID-19. To help deliver the scans, there will be more staff recruited including radiographers, radiologists and support staff.
The Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals Charity is also kindly supporting this project by pledging £1.6m for Imaging equipment.
This collaborative approach between hospitals and the wider Integrated Care System to deliver these services will:
- Increase capacity for diagnostic imaging
- Separate GP referrals and Outpatient appointments from Inpatient and Emergency demand, improving waiting times
- Improve health outcomes with earlier diagnoses
- Provide modern, bright facilities and state-of-the-art equipment to improve the experience for patients and staff
- Standardise practices and collaborative working in Imaging services across the three hospitals.
