Southampton Children’s Hospital (SCH), part of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, is to launch a new intra-operative iMRI (Intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging) scanner suite to improve the experience of seriously ill children.
The suite, which was supported by The Murray Parish Trust in partnership with SCH, will be built and equipped in preparation for its installation later this year.
Within the UHSFT statement, the trust highlights that the new suite will give children, throughout the South of England, access to the ‘best’ possible treatment, as well as provide families with reassurance that surgery has been successful.
Jim Murray and Sarah Parish, the actors who founded the Murray Parish Trust, commented: “We launched our iMRI campaign two years ago because we believe it is vital for our children to have access to the very best treatment close to home. Sadly, Southampton Children’s Hospital treats hundreds of children undergoing brain surgery each year and 80% of the cases are emergency admissions, so time is of the essence.
“The iMRI suite will allow our surgeons to give them immediate access to the leading technology here in the south, giving them the best chance of survival and recovery.”
Paul Grundy, Chief Medical Officer and Consultant Neurosurgeon, UHC, added: “We are delighted to be receiving an iMRI scanner which will transform children’s surgery by giving us the ability to scan as we go during procedures, not only saving time but ultimately improving outcomes for our young patients.
“This investment in state-of-the-art facilities further cements the reputation of Southampton Children’s Hospital as a centre of excellence and we are incredibly grateful to the Murray Parish Trust, for its tireless fundraising efforts and continued support.”
In other news, Scarborough Hospital has launched a mobile scanner for patients in North and East Yorkshire, and a new £7 million acute surgical unit has opened in Bradford.
