State-of-the-art MRI scanners have been installed at Darlington Memorial and Bishop Auckland hospitals, following almost two years of successful fund-raising.
Charity manager at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust Pat Chambers said: “We’re so grateful to local people, businesses and organisations for getting behind the appeal and recognising the difference modern MRI scanners can make to patient care.
“The generosity has been humbling, for instance several couples asked family and friends for a donation towards the appeal in lieu of ruby or golden wedding anniversary gifts, totalling more than £1,000 in some cases. The Rotary and Lions clubs also made significant donations having held events on behalf of the appeal. A number of businesses adopted us as their charity of the year while others held or took part in sporting events on our behalf.”
Trust staff also played their part with bake sales and other activities, including those who undertook a skydive. The appeal raised £750,000, with the trust providing the balance needed to buy the scanners and build a new MRI suite at Darlington Memorial Hospital, including an anaesthetic room and changing facilities.
Philips UKI, which supplied both scanners, deferred payment while the appeal continued so that patients benefited from the new equipment sooner than would otherwise have been the case.
Consultant radiologist and clinical lead for the project Dr Elizabeth Loney said: “Previously patients may have had to undergo exploratory and sometimes invasive surgery to support the diagnostic process. This advanced technology, which provides detailed and high quality images, can help reduce many such interventions, improving the patient experience.”
Picture: Members of the MRI and cardiology teams with one of two new scanners.
Published on page 16 of the May 2019 issue of RAD Magazine.