£1.2m new tech investment has benefitted patients in Lincolnshire hospitals

Pictured are Deputy Sister Interventional Radiology Kelly Kear, Senior Radiographer Cesar Herrera, Canon Medical Systems Applications Specialist Andrew Mayes, Consultant Interventional Radiologist Dr Emmanouil Blevrakis, Radiology Operations Manager Nigel Allen and Canon Medical Systems Service Engineer Peter Oberholzer in the fluoroscopy suite at Pilgrim hospita

The multi-purpose imaging machines were installed at Boston Pilgrim and at Lincoln County Hospitals as part of an investment in new fluoroscopy suites right at the start of the pandemic.

And since then, 500 patients have benefitted from thesm.

The machines are able to combine different types of X-rays to provide clinicians with modern imaging to perform patient procedures and deliver prompt diagnosis and treatments, showing real-time moving images of what is happening within a patient’s body.

And they have been invaluable during the coronavirus crisis, helping to reduce waiting times and give patients more local appointments, therefore removing the need to travel to other hospitals.

Radiology Operations Manager at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Nigel Allen, said: “This is a really exciting project, we are extremely proud to have this new state of the art technology available for patients in our Trust.

“The team will be able to undertake more complex procedures, with the specialised imaging equipment that has exceptional image quality enabling very accurate diagnosis. It also has the ability to support our vascular suites, reducing the possibility of any future delays for patients.”

The first system was installed at Pilgrim hospital at the end of March this year and despite the arrival of the Coronavirus pandemic, the second system was up and running shortly afterwards.

This was only possible thanks to the support of contractors, installation teams and a lot of training with staff.

Nigel saidd: “They not only they provide us with much more detailed imaging, but we can also use them to diagnose and undertake some interventional procedures for cancer patients without major surgery.

“They can also perform diagnostic and interventional procedures in the blood vessels (angioplasty).

“However, the scans are just part of the improvements made, the new suites are bigger, brighter and provide a much better experience for our patients compared to what we had before, and our colleagues have great facilities to work in.”