- An innovative NHS pilot scheme at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has found it could significantly reduce MRI waiting lists by utilising scanners during off-peak evening hours.
- The six-month trial saw an additional 1,356 patients scanned and reduced the “did not attend” rate for appointments from a typical 5-7 per cent to just 1.1 per cent.
- The scheme achieved 90 per cent of patients receiving scans within three weeks of referral, significantly improving waiting times.
- This efficiency was enabled by a “radiology operations command centre” technology, allowing senior radiographers to remotely support and train on-site junior staff without needing extra physical presence.
- While the initiative shows promise for tackling backlogs, the Royal College of Radiologists highlighted the need for the government to train more radiologists to interpret the increased number of scans.
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