Member Article

Specialist scanner upgrade complete

Two northeast companies have transformed the leading edge diagnostic and scanning facilities at one of the region’s oldest hospitals.

Healthcare specialists Opus Building Services, working with Northern Construction Solutions Limited (NCS), have completed works to install a new MRI scanner at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) for Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation.

The Royal Victoria Infirmary has made a major investment into its scanning facilities to ensure that patients have access to the very latest diagnostic and treatment planning techniques, benefiting from rapid image processing times which means less time waiting to be seen.

The new £2M MRI suite which incorporates a new Siemens MRI scanner, patient room and examination area as well as a new reception, waiting area and administration offices will benefit the region by providing even more diagnostic capacity and capability.

The 24-week multi-phased project was undertaken on level 5 of the infirmary, which meant windows on the upper level of the hospital had to be temporarily altered so that the MRI scanner could be lifted into place. The MRI unit remained in operation throughout the project with no disruption to patient appointments and related services.

Sean Anderson, Director of Northern Construction Solutions Limited (NCS), said: “From the outset, it was clear this project was a critical facility, important to the Foundation and service users in the region. For these reasons we were very keen to be involved “This work builds on our increasing involvement in projects in the health sector which entails careful co-ordination of all trades, a keen eye for detail and quality of workmanship and, more importantly, extremely close cooperation with the clinical teams.”

Gavin Richardson of Opus Building Services added: “The MRI suite at the RVI is a leading-edge scanning facility so it was a project we were keen to support. We have experience in working in critical care and patient environments in every hospital in the region so the MRI unit project was not unusual in terms of the complexities involved. We understand the importance of co-ordinating building services and installations in a live medical environment to ensure there is no disruption to patient care and services.”

Opus Medigas also carried out the modifications and installations to the unit’s specialist medical gas services. The company designs, supplies and installs gas delivery systems and equipment needed to get medical gas to patients in medical settings or laboratories where similar gases are used.

Opus Building Services provide specialist electrical, heating and plumbing services across a range of sectors including; commercial and retail, healthcare, education, sports and leisure as well as industrial and manufacturing.

NCS is a specialist building, civil engineering and building contracting organisation with their head office in Chester le Street, County Durham and regional offices in Leeds, West Yorkshire and Barton-upon-Humber, North Lincolnshire.

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