£250k investment to improve x-ray facilities at Skegness Hospital

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.

The new facility is due to open in early January 2022 and until then patients will get the x-rays at Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, Grantham and District Hospital, Stamford and Rutland Hospital or Peterborough City Hospital.

The refurbishmen at Skegness follows a £2.6 million funding boost from central Government, along with a further £1.2 million of internal capital fundingI.

Imaging equipment that is more than 10 years old - including CT scanners, breast scanners, MRI scanners and X-ray machines - is to be replaced.. This will not only improve patient care and experience, but also the quality of the images being produced.

After installation, the teams will then test the machine and undergo training and assurance processes.

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.”