MP FOR Redditch, Rachel Maclean, has welcomed additional Government funding which will see mobile MRI and CT scanners remain at the Alexandra Hospital for a further six months.
To help clear the COVID backlogs, back in January of this year a mobile MRI scanner was delivered to the Alex, followed by a mobile CT scanner a month later.
It’s part of the Government’s £350 million investment across the country to provide earlier scans and diagnoses to reduce waiting lists which have increased as a result of the pandemic.
Following additional Government funding, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trusts has confirmed to Mrs Maclean that the mobile scanners will remain in place for a further six months to tackle the backlogs.
Both scanners are in addition to the permanent MRI and CT scanners already in place at the hospital.
Mrs Maclean has visited the mobile scanners at the Alex and heard first-hand from staff how vital they have been to tackling the COVID backlogs and reducing waiting lists.
She said: “I’m pleased the Government has provided further funding to ensure my constituents can receive their scans and diagnoses much more quickly.
“The mobile scanners at the Alex, in addition to the permanent MRI and CT scanners at the hospital, have already provided thousands of patients with faster access to diagnostic tests and earlier diagnoses.
“This further funding is yet another sign of the vital role the Alex plays in the delivery of healthcare in Worcestershire. The Alex has a bright future ahead of it and our hospital will continue to benefit from investment.”
