New CT scanner at Telford hospital to 'go live' this December

Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust has confirmed that a CT scanner for Princess Royal Hospital in Telford has a 'go-live' date of December.

The situation with the ageing CT scanner at the hospital was one of the key reasons health bosses cited when considering an overnight closure of PRH's A&E last year.

The closure was eventually averted but the scanner was not replaced.

Earlier this year the trust announced that a new scanner would be part of a £32 million investment in services at the hospitals, but no date had been set.

Now it has been confirmed that the equipment has a December date for its arrival and Sath's interim chief executive Paula Clarke said: “This will be a real boost for our patients and our radiology team.”

Councillor Shaun Davies, leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, said it is important to make sure there is no slip in the timescale set out by the trust.

He said: "It is both frustrating and disappointing that this remains an issue despite promises made to me in public and private it would be resolved. Residents in Telford and Wrekin tell me all the time they feel the PRH is the Cinderella of hospital when it comes to investment.

"For months the government have had direct management of the trust through special measures and this has taken too long."

Speaking last month Dr David Lee, chair of the quality and safety committee, told members of the hospital trust's board of disappointment that the scanner was not in place.

A report to the board said: "The Q&S Committee previously advised the trust board of its concerns with respect to the reliance on an ageing CT scanner as a single point of failure within the stroke pathway (Q&S board report July 2018).

"Following discussions later in 2018, the committee set an expectation (see board report November 2018) that action would be taken.

"It is, therefore, a matter of both concern and regret that an additional CT scanner is not yet functioning on the PRH site."