Dedicated MRI facility at Kingston marks phase three of imaging overhaul

The official opening of a purpose-built MRI building at Kingston Hospital, Surrey, took place on November 5. This is the third phase in a 15-year contract awarded in 2017 to provide an exclusive, fully managed MRI service.

With a brief to support Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in meeting the growing demand for MR imaging within a compromised physical environment, InHealth began the project by refurbishing the trust’s Bernard Meade Wing, which was stripped out and refurbished to support the trust in temporarily relocating its trauma and orthopaedics department.

The second phase saw the permanent trauma and orthopaedics department refurbished. The third phase was construction of the InHealth MRI building, a purpose-built, three-storey facility equipped with two Siemens MRI scanners, a 3.0T Magnetom Skyra and a 1.5T Magnetom Aera.

To complete the project, the existing MRI department was refurbished and a new 1.5T Magnetom Aera installed. As an InHealth standalone facility built on the trust’s grounds, each phase of the project brought an opportunity to deliver fresh thinking that would make the most of the restricted space available, while integrating and refreshing the existing facilities.

From demolition and groundworks to unforeseen challenges with pipe-work, InHealth worked with the trust to avoid disruption to everyday service, arranging weekend installation and construction.

More than 40 InHealth staff manage the day-to-day operations of the unit, seeing over 70 patients a day. InHealth has been providing MRI services at the hospital since 2009.

Published on page 3 of the December 2019 issue of RAD Magazine.