A new mobile MRI screening service for the NHS (National Health Service) was announced today by UK Health Minister John Hutton. The new service will carry out over 120,000 extra scans a year for NHS patients using 12 mobile screening units.

Alliance Medical will operate the units, providing their own operating staff and radiologists. The scans will cost less than half the equivalent NHS price - representing good value for money as well as boosting vital NHS capacity.

The new service will increase NHS capacity by over 15%. It will help tackle long waits for MRI scans in some parts of the country and follows on from the publication last week of the NHS Improvement Plan.

This extra capacity will contribute towards the drive to bring down the total time that patients wait from GP referral to hospital treatment - to a maximum of 18 weeks by 2008.

The new units will begin operating towards the end of next month, and will be open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 6pm on Saturdays, maximising the capacity and increasing convenience for patients.

John Hutton said:

"This is a great deal for the NHS and its patients. It will help reduce the long waits that some patients experience for their MRI scans. By taking the units to those areas with the longest waits, we are prioritising those with the greatest need. Last week, the Government promised to cut waiting times for MRI scans. This is the first installment of a major expansion in scanning capacity that will come online in the next twelve months."

Notes to editor

1. MRI scans help diagnose many cancers and other serious conditions such as congenital disorders; acute or chronic migraine and headaches; epilepsy; bone infections; severe back pain; coronary heart disease; high blood pressure and chest pains.

2. The services of 12 mobile Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) units will be made available to all 28 Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) on a fair shares basis; either two or three units will be allocated to each of five SHA clusters, depending on population size. The services will be targeted at areas of greatest need, as determined by SHAs.

3. There will be up to 110,900 extra examinations in year 1 and up to 131,200 extra examinations per annum in years 2 to 5.

In the first year it will work as follows:

London, 2 Units, up to 18,477 Procedures in Y1 (Full Year: up to 21,866)

North East, Yorkshire and Humber, 2 Units, up to 18,477 Procedures in Y1 (Full Year: up to 21,866)

North West and West Midlands, 3 units, up to 27,715 procedures in Y1 (Full Year: up to 32,799)

East Midlands and East, 2 units, up to 18,477 Procedures in Y1 (Full Year: up to 21,866)

Southern, 3 units, up to 27,715 procedures in Y1 (Full Year: up to 32,799)

4. Media enquiries ONLY to Jennifer Wheatley at the Department of Health press office on 020 72105230

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