Patients who need X-rays in Skegness will soon benefit from a £250,000 investment in new state-of-the-art imaging technology.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT), which delivers the X-ray and other diagnostic services at Skegness Hospital, is about to replace the imaging equipment on the site as part of wider £3.8 million programme of investment and improvements in technology across the county.
A £2.6 million funding boost from central Government, along with a further £1.2 million of internal capital funding, has allowed the Trust to replace imaging equipment that was more than 10 years old, including CT scanners, breast scanners, MRI scanners and X-ray machines. This has not only improved patient care and experience, but also the quality of the images being produced.
At Skegness Hospital, the old X-ray imaging equipment is being removed, which will allow our teams to make improvements to the area before the fully integrated new digital X-ray imaging equipment is installed. After installation the teams will then test the machine and undergo training and assurance processes. The new X-ray area will then re-open again from early January 2022.
In order to complete the works at the hospital, there will be a short period of time when patients may need to attend other hospitals in order to have an X-ray. This will be from now until early January 2022. During this period any patients who require X-ray imaging services will be invited to attend other hospitals in the area. This will include Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, Grantham and District Hospital, Stamford and Rutland Hospital or Peterborough City Hospital.
ULHT Radiology Operations Manager, Nigel Allen, said: “The new equipment and enhanced facilities will make a big difference to patients who need diagnostics at Skegness Hospital. It means that for patients and teams they will now have use of fully digital equipment which will be: quicker, produce better quality images which means diagnosis is easier. The machines also provide much lower radiation doses than the current equipment, which is another benefit to having new equipment. By improving the facilities, we are also pleased to be able to create an improved environment for our patients and our staff.
“We apologise in advance for any inconvenience this work will cause for patients and colleagues in the Urgent Treatment Centre, whilst we make these vital improvements. The new facilities and X-ray equipment that will be available at Skegness Hospital will give a much improved service and reliability far into the future.”
ULHT Director of Finance and Digital, Paul Matthew, added: “As part of our improvement journey we are committed to improving our hospitals and working with our partners across the Lincolnshire NHS healthcare system to ensure we all have access to the best imaging equipment available. State-of-the-art imaging equipment means a better experience for our patients as well as staff. In the long term this means that patients can be treated closer to home and in improved environments. This investment not only makes diagnostics easier, it gives staff access to the best technology for their job and that has the added bonus of aiding diagnosis and speeding up any required treatment.”