Cutting down scan waiting times in York

DATE: 2024   |   LOCATION: YORK   |   PROJECT AREA: PROJECT DELIVERY  |   PROJECT STATUS: COMPLETED

One of the current priorities of the NHS is to drive down waiting times, and one of the key elements in doing this is the introduction of Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs). CDCs are facilities dedicated to getting people fast and local access to diagnostic tests such as scans and blood tests, ensuring quicker diagnosis and earlier access to treatment, resulting in better patient outcomes and less pressure on NHS services.

We worked with York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Nimbuscare to project manage the construction of a special pad to allow mobile MRI and CT scanners to operate at a new CDC site.

The Solution

The nationwide CDC programme was announced in 2021, and since then our team has been supporting Humber and North Yorkshire ICB with programme management and business case writing support. This included gathering and analysing data to determine where CDCs should be sited to best meet the needs of the local population, which services should be offered where, and writing the business cases to secure the funding to deliver the facilities.

One of the chosen locations was Askham Bar, a site on the outskirts of York, operated by York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, provided in partnership with Nimbuscare. To deliver the CDC on this site, they needed a special pad constructing to allow mobile MRI and CT scanners to operate on site.

Our project management team worked in partnership with York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Nimbuscare to project manage the construction of the pad.

The Result

Although at first glance it may sound simple, the logistics of the project were very complex, with the base for the scanners needing to meet very precise specifications.

For example, to avoid interference, the scanners needed to be at least a certain distance from any nearby train lines, and it was vital that the site had new secure data connections set up, enabling images from the scans to be transferred directly to off-site specialists who could read and analyse them, getting the results to the patients as fast as possible.

Our team managed design of the pad, planning permissions, surveys, contract administration and co-ordinated medical visits, as well as arranging new power, water, drainage and data connections and managing almost 20 different stakeholders who were involved in the project.

The logistics around access to the site were also difficult, with highway improvement works on local roads meaning precise timing was necessary around large plant deliveries.

It was also essential to futureproof the site, ensuring it has the connections capable of operating different scanners in years to come.

Having you supporting the development of the site to allow the new MRI/scanner at Askham Bar was a great addition to the team. The MRI/CT scanner located at Askham Bar is a significant additional benefit for the local population of York.
Your team were excellent at communicating throughout the project, making weekly visits to the site to check everything was on track, and ensuring the many stakeholders involved were always up-to-date on progress and their responsibilities.

Sharon Allmark, Senior Project Manager, Nimbuscare

Case studies:

Take a look at some of our other work

Want to know more about our work with scanners? Take a look at the radiology revamp we project managed for a Northallerton hospital.

Read more