Healthcare provider secures £200k funding for new CT scanner

Manchester-based medical diagnostic imaging provider, Diagnostic Healthcare, has purchased a new mobile CT scanner to help a Stockport NHS Foundation Trust in its fight against COVID-19, after securing a funding package of more than £200,000 from Lombard Asset Finance.

CT scans have been used during the pandemic to assess the impact the virus has on patients’ lungs.

However, to limit the spread of COVID-19, hospitals have been required to reserve some of their CT scanners for coronavirus patients only, reducing the number of machines available to non-COVID patients.

To meet this shortfall, Diagnostic Healthcare, which provides its services to NHS Trusts across England, acted quickly and responded to the immediate need by placing the new mobile CT scanner outside the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust for non-coronavirus patients who require its services.

By placing the scanner outside, patients are not required to enter the hospital and, therefore, potential cross-contamination of COVID is limited.

For NHS Trusts, which only need equipment such as the CT scanner for a limited period of time, hiring healthcare solutions from Diagnostic Healthcare is a cost-effective alternative to purchasing expensive equipment.

Mobile scanners can be installed quickly to accommodate capacity issues and removed equally quickly when the demand has been fulfilled.

This flexibility allows Diagnostic Healthcare to support many Trusts and supports the NHS in meeting its referral to treatment times.

The mobile unit in situ

Diagnostic Healthcare is based in Manchester and is an independent sub-contractor for the NHS. It has regional centres in the North West, Midlands, Yorkshire and Essex, and employs more than 150 people.

Liat Karni, Diagnostic Healthcare chief executive, said: “COVID-19 brought new challenges and forced the NHS to adapt quickly to changes. Having access to scanners like these have played a key role in Trusts’ quick response.

“But even pre- and post-coronavirus, being able to supply important equipment like CT and MRI scanners as an interim solution is hugely beneficial for Trusts looking to increase capacity for a limited time without having to use vital capital and clinical staff resource. We’d like to thank Lombard for their continued support.”

Ritu Vaish, senior relationship manager at Lombard Asset Finance, said: “Diagnostic Healthcare, which has been a customer for more than five years, is an important partner to the NHS and its dedication to helping hospitals battle COVID-19 is exemplary.

“We take great pride in being able to support its purchase of a new CT scanner which is a valuable new asset for the company.”