MRI Radiographer, Gareth Locke is pictured putting the second state-of-the-art MRI scanner through its paces at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. The £1million specialist 3Tesla scanner was carefully craned into position outside the hospital before being wheeled along a corridor into its new home
within the Radiology Department. Patients are now able to gaze at a backlit panel in the ceiling depicting a summer sky, which has been designed to make the surroundings less clinical and help them to relax.
The scanner is part of a wider plan to increase diagnostic, theatre, inpatient and day surgery capacity at Forth Valley Royal Hospital and it will enable thousands of additional patients to be scanned every year. Six additional MRI radiographers have been recruited to support the expansion plan with scanning taking place 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The scanner was delivered a few weeks after the first of two additional operating theatres opened at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. The second theatre is due to open next year and a new inpatient ward is being built to support the increased theatre activity and enable additional orthopaedic procedures to be carried out, including more hip and knee replacements. In addition, the existing Day Surgery Unit is also expanding and additional nurses and clinical support workers have already been recruited. Three additional overnight (23hr) and 12 extra day case beds are also being introduced to increase capacity for a wide range of day procedures.
