§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to ensure Magnetic Resonance Imaging provision in all health authorities the size of North-Staffordshire.
§ Mr. SackvilleMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful imaging technique with the advantage that it does not involve ionising radiation. It has advantages over computerised tomography scanning in particular clinical situations but is expensive in terms of capital and running costs. Case-mix, amongst other things, will influence whether or not a provider unit will wish to have MRI facilities.
The national health service reforms as set out in the White Paper "Working for Patients" provide that hospitals and other units will be responsible for providing efficient and effective health services to meet the needs identified by health authorities. In this context, provider units will inevitably reach different decisions on whether MRI should form part of the services they provide.