Improved imaging department opens at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath

Dr George Findlay, chief medical officer and deputy chief executive for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (BSUH), cut the ribbon on Wednesday (March 17).

The improvements include a new CT (computerised tomography) scanner and a new digital x-ray facility.

Dr Findlay said: “These improvements will make a real difference to the experience of every patient who comes to the imaging department.

“Redeveloping a department like this while it continues to deliver care is a real achievement.

“Doing so during a pandemic, and finishing the project on time and to budget, is outstanding.

“I commend all the staff involved for their dedication to our patients and their determination to see this project through.

“This really is patient centred planning and care at its best.”

The new CT scanner doubles the capacity for these scans in the department, improving access and reliability for patients.

The new digital x-ray facility features the latest equipment and ensures that the department can keep up with advancements in x-ray technology.

Patients coming to the imaging department will also benefit from two new dedicated cannulation rooms.

The works, which began last summer, have allowed staff to redesign the waiting areas for both inpatients and outpatients to improve privacy and dignity.

The outpatient waiting areas are now colour coded to make it easier for patients to find the right one and the outpatient changing facilities have been improved as well. The redesign has also created a dedicated private waiting area for inpatients who are brought to the department on beds or trollies.

The imaging department improvements were carried out over seven stages so that patient care could continue throughout the project. The BSUH project manager, senior members of the imaging team and managers from the contractor Pilbeams worked together to keep the project running safely.