Eight NHS trusts across the Greater Manchester region are set to implement a brand new diagnostic imaging initiative that can help clinicians analyse x-rays, MRI scans, CT scans and mammography.
The eight hospitals in line for the new technology are:
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust (part of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Group)
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust
The technology is produced by Sectra and is set to replace the PACS (picture archiving and communications system) currently in use.
The initiative represents one of the largest patient imaging schemes in Europe and is said ‘to transform the way patients get their diagnosis and treatment’.
As soon as the system is in place, clinical staff will have on-demand access to images captured at any of the eight NHS trusts using the technology.
Elaine Quick, Greater Manchester’s PACS implementation lead, said: “I am really impressed with how teams across the trust have worked with our partner Sectra to get this in place quickly whilst simultaneously dealing with the challenges presented by COVID-19 and winter pressures in the NHS.”
Suraj Amonkar, consultant radiologist and PACS clinical lead for Pennine, added: “Radiology is pivotal in patient care management. Sectra provides us with a powerful, thoroughly up-to-date PACS system that has many advanced features that will result in quicker and more accurate diagnostics, and ultimately better patient care.”
“The integrated Multi-Disciplinary Team meeting (MDT) module will benefit oncology patients, whilst the teaching features will help train the next generation of radiologists, radiographers and sonographers.”