§ Mr. LuffTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of existing capacity for MRI scanning for NHS patients in the public and private sectors in Worcestershire; and if he will make a statement. [126961]
§ Dr. LadymanThe Department of Health maintains a database to monitor the prevision of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners in the national health service, and the age of the machines installed. Allocation of MRI scanners has been made on the basis of improving access to MRI scanners across the NHS as a whole.
The Department of Health is aware of the majority of private installations in England but this information is not continually monitored.
§ Mr. LuffTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his plans to provide additional MRI scanning capacity in Worcestershire. [126962]
§ Dr. LadymanThe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner at Worcester Royal Infirmary was installed in March 2002 and has been working full-time since 1 July 2003.
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trust is to install another MRI scanner at Kidderminster hospital as part of the diagnostic and treatment centre development which is due to be up and running before the end of this year. This will be funded as part of the NHS Cancer Plan commitment to provide 50 additional MRI scanners by 2004.