A PRIVATE hospital in Basingstoke has announced a £5m investment programme.

The Hampshire Clinic, part of Circle Health Group, will focus on bringing the next generation of scanning equipment to the hospital, with the first patients receiving their scans in January 2025.

The new CT and MRI scanner are specifically designed to reduce the time a patient spends being scanned and uses an AI-based workflow solution. This gives the radiographer not only a higher quality of image but frees them up to spend more time working directly with the patient.  

Both scanners are due to be installed by December this year with the first patients expected to be seen early next year. 

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Senior management at The Hampshire Clinic have worked closely with the scanner’s manufacturers to ensure the new technology meets the needs of patients and staff.  

Using the AI-based workflow solution, the radiographer is given a much higher quality image, while also automating and streamlining routine tasks. This improves operational efficiency, freeing up time for hospital staff. 

For patients needing scans for gynecological, prostate and liver conditions, the new siemens sola 1.5T MRI will drastically reduce the need for rescans because of the scanner’s wider entrance and overall design. Sieman’s has incorporated specialist biological variability software into the scanner, meaning that during the patient’s scan, the MRI will automatically adapt its imaging capability to the patient and their body.  

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With the demand for diagnostic imaging at an all-time high and delays impacting the overall waiting times for patients across Hampshire, the planned arrival of both scanners has been hailed as a 'game changer' for Hampshire Clinic, increasing its imaging department capacity by 25 per cent.  

Heather Dob, executive director of The Hampshire Clinic, said: “Our new MRI and CT scanners will ensure that we continue to meet the needs of the thousands of patients who choose to have their treatment at Hampshire Clinic each year.

"Modern, high-quality diagnostic equipment is an essential component in getting patients onto the right treatment pathway as quickly as possible. We make a commitment to our patients, and I am confident that the arrival of both scanners is an example of us making good on that promise.”