New Imaging Technology used by Greater Manchester NHS Trust

The Pennine Acute is the first across Greater Manchester to deploy new medical imaging technology.

14:59 14 January 2021

A partnership between the Greater Manchester Provider Federation Board and medical imaging IT and cybersecurity company Sectra has made The Pennine Acute the first of eight Trusts across Greater Manchester to deploy new medical imaging technology. 

 

The picture archiving and communication system (PACS) is now being used by hospital staff to interrogate patients images digitally. It is designed to view and report on detailed images remotely, including from their home. 

 

Elaine Quick, Greater Manchester’s PACS implementation lead, said: “I am really impressed with how teams across the trust have worked with our partner Sectra to get this in place quickly whilst simultaneously dealing with the challenges presented by COVID-19 and winter pressures in the NHS. This first go-live is the start of the main journey. We will be able to maximise how our staff work across different trusts and we will be able to connect 15 years’ worth of rich data currently isolated in individual trusts.”

 

David O’Brien, divisional managing director for imaging, said: “This is an important project for everyone – from frontline staff, through to patients whose care this is ultimately about. Hospitals in Greater Manchester will overcome inter-organisational limitations around image sharing and collaboration. Radiology demand has increased massively in recent years and continues to do so. Working as a network will help us to respond to this demand, and ensure our professionals’ expertise is available for everyone in the region. In the future, the programme will allow us to embrace new and emerging tools like artificial intelligence, and in the short term it is allowing radiologists to continue working from home at a crucial time.”