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Monday, 25 April 2005 10:21

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Scanner delays

Consultants went public to warn that a major piece of cancer-detecting equipment was so old that it was compromising patient care. They published a series of letters to the Scottish Executive in which they had appealed unsuccessfully for help to replace the CT scanner at Glasgow’s Western Infirmary.

The consultants said they were "angry and frustrated at the failure to replace the oldest and busiest scanner" in Scotland, handling 8,000 patients a year.

The disclosure was made by Scottish Tories who revealed the text of letters between an exasperated consultant radiologist at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow and successive health ministers - first Malcolm Chisholm then Andy Kerr.

The first letter was sent to Malcolm Chisholm on July 5 last year by Dr Nigel McMillan, a consultant radiologist at the Western, complaining about the CT scanning facilities there.

"We have the most outdated machine in Scotland, if not the UK, and a similar one at Gartnavel General," said Dr McMillan.

"We are expected to perform high quality scans for acute trauma and cancer patients and the equipment is simply not appropriate for the demands and would have been automatically replaced several years ago through the NOF fund if we were in England”.

His letter went on complain the despite "strenuous" efforts by managers to have the equipment replaced, trust resources for equipment replacement were "pitifully inadequate”.

A spokeswoman for the Executive said ministers had increased money available for scanners and other similar equipment. She added: "We recognise the concerns about upgrading scanners. Health boards are responsible for planning these services for patients, and NHS Greater Glasgow has said the number one priority is replacing the Western’s CT scanner. We are committed to reducing the time patients wait for scans and other diagnostic tests. There has been a substantial increase in investment in new medical equipment”.

A spokeswoman for the health board said it was due to meet next month to allocate £12 million to replace outdated equipment over the next financial year and the Western Infirmary scanner was a priority.

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