Cancer Patients on the Yorkshire Coast can now get crucial scans performed at Scarborough Hospital rather than having to travel to Hull, Leeds or Middlesbrough.
A new mobile PET-CT scanner is being used at Scarborough Hospital one day a week and Lucy Turner, form the Hospital Trust, says a further permanent scanner is due to be added as part of the hospital refurbishment programme.
The PET-CT scanner produces detailed three-dimensional images of the inside of the body to determine how far the cancer has spread and how well it's responding to treatment.
Previously all cancer patients from York, Scarborough, Malton, Bridlington and Selby needed to travel to other hospital sites to get access to this essential diagnostic test. The closest PET-CT scanners are located at Castle Hill Hospital in Hull, St James in
Leeds and James Cook Hospital in Middlesborough.
The specialist scan means that clinicians can more quickly identify the presence, location and severity of cancers and the information is used to help ensure patients receive the right treatment.
Currently the scanner is on site one day a week and can complete 14-16 scans per day. The service is being run in partnership with the UK’s specialist provider of diagnostic and healthcare solutions, Alliance Medical Limited, whose mobile unit will be located in a newly created area on the ambulance roadway near the current A&E department.
Christine Norris, Cancer Improvement and Performance Manager at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who has led the project, said:
“I’m thrilled to be able to deliver services more locally and avoid patients and their families having to travel long distances for a diagnostic test, which will hopefully make things a little easier for them.
“As well as being great news for our patients, it is a fantastic opportunity for our staff who are able to use their specialist skills to report these scans locally, providing a service to patients and working more closely with their referring clinician.
“It’s been around two years in the making and a huge team effort from departments across the Trust, our partners and in particular the York and Scarborough Hospitals Charity who have helped fund this vital service. Despite challenges and delays due to the pandemic, this new service will support our cancer patients for many years to come and we are rightly proud of being able to provide this locally.”
York and Scarborough Hospital Charity provided £110,000 to help get the project off the ground.
A new permanent CT scanner will be added to Scarborough Hospital as part of the site redevelopment.
Lucy Turner from the hospital trust says the new permanent scanner will help improve capacity.
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