• MRI scanner delivery marks major milestone in creation of Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC)
• Once open in spring 2024 the CDC will improve access to vital tests and scans
• CDC will deliver thousands of MRI, CT and X-ray scans every year

A brand new MRI scanner has been delivered and installed at Bolton’s multi-million pound Community Diagnostic Centre.

The scanner is equipped with the latest technology from Siemens to help diagnose thousands of patients for different conditions and ensure they receive the appropriate care and treatment.

Months of careful planning has been carried out by Siemens and the construction company, Overbury, to ensure the installation of the four tonne MRI scanner was successful.

Once live and fully operation, the MRI scanner will be offering more than 600 scans a month through weekday, evening and weekend appointments.

Sharon White, Director of Strategy, Digital and Transformation at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said:

An incredible amount of progress has been made over the past few months and the installation of our brand new MRI scanner is a major milestone for our Community Diagnostic Centre.

“The centre will be a one-stop-shop to improve access to vital tests and scans for our communities and it will help us to ensure people are diagnosed for conditions as early as possible.

“By catching any life-threatening or debilitating conditions sooner we’re able to ensure people are receiving the treatment they need, improving their health outcomes and saving lives.

“This is a huge investment in healthcare for Bolton and we’re really looking forward to welcoming our first patients through the doors in just a few weeks’ time.

Ryan Calderbank, Divisional Director of Operations for Diagnostics and Support Services at the Trust, said:

A lot of work has taken place behind the scenes to get our new Community Diagnostic Centre ready for this milestone.

“Now it’s in place it will play an vital part in the lives of thousands of people for years to come, and I would like to thank our Trust teams, iFM Bolton, Overbury and Siemens for the forensic planning to ensure our MRI scanner was safely delivered and installed.

Bolton’s new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) is set to open in spring 2024 at Royal Bolton Hospital to improve access to vital test and scans and reduce how long people have to wait.

Millions of pounds has been invested to transform older parts of the hospital estate into a state of the art testing facility, which will deliver a range of scans including MRI, CT and X-ray.

The delivery of the MRI scanner is the first of several major pieces of equipment to be installed in the CDC, with CT scanners and X-ray machines to arrive in February.