Patients needing cancer and trauma diagnostics in Lincolnshire will benefit from a £3.8 million investment in new state-of-the-art imaging technology.

A £2.6 million funding boost, along with a further £1.2m of internal capital funding has allowed United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust to replace imaging equipment that was more than 10 years old. This has not only improved patient care and experience, but also the quality of the images being produced.

In 2020 the Government announced £200 million of funding to improve cancer services regionally – as part of this, equipment over 10 years old, including CT scanners, breast scanners and MRI scanners became eligible for funding.

Following a successful funding bid as well as utilising central funds, the Trust has been able to replace CT scanners at its sites in Lincoln County Hospital, Pilgrim Hospital, Boston and Grantham and District Hospital and also install a new MRI scanner at Grantham and District Hospital.

The Trust is delighted that the bid was successful and it has now completed the process of rolling out new machinery to the hospital sites. In the last year the Trust has also invested significantly in upgrading its estate to house new equipment and improve general clinical facilities across all of the hospital sites.

These investments have enabled the Trust to invest in cancer and trauma diagnostic services across the county and bring state of the art equipment into its hospitals, for the benefit of both staff and patients. These benefits include:

• The CT scanners give far superior image quality, shorter scans times and significantly lower radiation doses.
• The MRI scanners (provide more detailed imaging) have faster sequences with less time for the patient to be within the machine. They are so high-specification they give better imaging procedures for cancer patients and trauma patients across the board.
• One of the two Lincoln CT scanners; a Cannon Prism, will be the first of its kind in the Lincolnshire and wider Midlands area. This scanner allows the Trust to undertake state-of-the-art imaging for heart and stroke patients. These will help to improve cancer, stroke and cardiac treatment as patients can be scanned earlier, leading to a quicker diagnosis and being able to start treatment sooner. This scanner can also provide detailed images of the respiratory system and will also allow the Trust to build on its regionally acclaimed FReD (Faster Respiratory Diagnosis x-ray service) for lung cancer which enables us to fast-track patients who present with symptoms that suggest lung cancer.

Paul Clark, Radiology Services Manager said: “The funding and installation of this new equipment means that we are delivering better services across the county. It is already transforming the experience for our patients. They are now able to have state-of-the-art scans, 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.”

Mark Brassington, Director of Improvement and Integration and Deputy CEO said: “We are committed to developing all of our hospital sites across the Trust by ensuring we have the right equipment available to treat our patients and also making our hospitals great places for our staff to work. We have invested in this new equipment and improved facilities as part of our overall Trust improvement plan. By working to ensure our hospitals get the investment we need, we are able to invest into the future health of the people of Lincolnshire.”