New MR scanner suite opens at Stepping Hill Hospital

A new magnetic resonance (MR) scanner suite has opened at Stepping Hill Hospital to provide an enhanced service for patients in Stockport.

The new suite includes two new state-of-the art MR scanners, which will benefit Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s stroke care, cancer care, and emergency and urgent care services. Scanners will help to reduce waiting times, with patients no longer waiting longing than six weeks for a scan.

The scanners include innovative new screen technology, funded by the trust’s own Stockport NHS Charity, which beam soothing images to patients as they have their scans, and can help patients feel less claustrophobic whilst in the machines.

The MR service at the hospital has been taken back in-house to Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s own radiology service, having previously been outsourced to Alliance Medical.

MR scans can be used in many ways, including diagnosing neurological conditions, assessing musculoskeletal issues, detecting and staging cancer, examining organs and detecting inflammation. It is estimated around 11,000 patients a year will use the scanners, receiving swifter treatment than before.

The new development has taken around two years to complete, with partnership work on project including City Build, O’Neil’s, AFL Architects and AJP structural engineers and Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s own estates and capital projects teams.

A short ceremony including the partners was held at the opening, with the ribbon being cut by Stockport NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive Karen James OBE, and Divisional Director Mike Allison thanking everyone for their contribution. Karen James said:

“It is excellent to see the suite finished, and our radiology teams working with the new scanners to provide a swifter service for our patients. I’d like to thank all our colleagues and partners who have worked so hard to make these enhanced new facilities possible.”