There is a significant backlog of patients awaiting medical scans across England, figures obtained by the Guardian show, with the Covid-19 pandemic having put additional pressure on already stretched services.
Some 326,525 patients waited longer than six weeks to have a medical scan, such as a CT or MRI scan, in May this year, compared to 20,898 who had to wait for this length of time in May of 2019.
Speaking to the publication, Saffron Cordery, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, said that one of the issues, aside from the delays caused by the pandemic, is that much of the equipment in NHS trusts is not reliable.
“Much of the existing stock is faulty and unreliable, causing delay, disruption and added anxiety for patients,” she revealed.
Ms Cordery also stated that hospital bosses have said that significant investment in such equipment was an “urgent priority” in the coming months. The Royal College of Radiologists told the publication that the Covid-19 pandemic had created a “perfect storm”, straining a service that was already struggling due to equipment shortages.
Earlier this month, the chief executive of NHS England Sir Simon Stevens revealed that the Nightingale Hospital in London, which was set up to provide an additional 200 beds to help the capital cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, is being converted to a cancer testing centre to help clear the backlog created by the pandemic, the Daily Mail reported.
If you need assistance with the calibration of medical equipment at your practice or hospital, contact us to find out how we can help you.