Medical Imaging services set to expand with additional CT scanner at Bassetlaw Hospital
Colleagues at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH) have successfully secured £1.8 million in funding from NHS England to purchase the equipment, marking a major enhancement to the Trust’s Medical Imaging services.
The new machine will be housed in a dedicated suite and is expected to be operational next year.
With this investment, Bassetlaw Hospital will have two fully operational CT scanners, ensuring a more consistent and resilient service for patients in Worksop and surrounding areas. Currently, when the site’s single CT machine undergoes routine maintenance, patients are transferred to the Medical Imaging department at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, which involves a 30 minute shuttle ride.
To accommodate the scanner, plans have been finalised within the service to repurpose spaces within the CT suite at Bassetlaw. These plans include creating a new scanning room, an adjacent control room, and associated utility spaces. Following works, it is anticipated that the expanded service will be available to patients early in the new year.
The Medical Imaging service at DBTH has also been strengthened by adopting a degree apprenticeship scheme to increase the number of radiographers. To-date, 11 students have joined the apprenticeship, with three successfully qualifying and employed within the service as radiographers.
Sara Elliott, Head of Radiography at DBTH, said: “We want patients attending the service to be treated as quickly as possible. Having an additional scanner will enable us to have resilience within the service, providing greater continuity of service.
“We estimate that routine maintenance and equipment failures of the current single machine costs the service around 230 hours of downtime each year. The additional capacity will allow us to offer approximately 500 extra appointments annually, significantly benefiting our patients.”
Further enhancements to the Medical Imaging services is supported by a £16 million investment in the development of a new imaging suite at Montagu Hospital in Mexborough, which forms part of the Montagu Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC).
Scheduled to open next spring, this facility will be available to patients from Doncaster, Bassetlaw, Rotherham, and Barnsley, as part of a broader effort to increase diagnostic testing and treatment within community settings, reducing reliance on acute hospital services.
Additionally, Bassetlaw Hospital will soon be opening the new Bassetlaw Emergency Village building that will become home to the new Emergency Department and Children’s Assessment Unit.
The much-anticipated Bassetlaw Emergency Village has completed its construction phase in late September, with colleagues now beginning the process of transferring existing services into the building before opening later this year.
To find out more about the latest news, including investments at the Trust, please visit the DBTH website: www.dbth.nhs.uk
