NHS England and Improvement recently set out plans to develop and implement collaborative imaging (radiology) networks on a national basis across England, the aim being, to improve the quality of patient care.
With its long track record of innovation and promoting collaboration across local provider trusts, it has been confirmed that EMRAD is now the official imaging network for the East Midlands.
Covering our entire region, including all 8 of our main acute trusts and a patient population of over 4.5 million, EMRAD aims to deliver timely and expert radiology and imaging services to patients across the East Midlands, regardless of where they are being treated.
University Hospitals of Leicester are the latest Trust to come on board. The full list of partner trusts is:
- Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (Host)
- Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
- University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
These trusts run 14 hospitals, covering more than five million patients. Since formation, EMRAD has achieved vanguard status, won several awards, and been cited in national reports on innovation and progress in imaging services.
EMRAD has long pioneered a successful, collaborative approach to the challenges facing imaging within our hospitals, so we can make best use of our people, equipment and resources, and produce the best outcomes for our patients.
The national strategy is committed to establishing imaging networks across England by 2023 in order to address the challenges of rising demand, shortages in the imaging workforce, and ageing imaging equipment which continue to put extreme pressure on delivering timely imaging services and high-quality patient care. In April 2021, the national diagnostic imaging network implementation guide was published. This guide builds on the national imaging services strategy and the aspirations set out in the NHS Long Term Plan to make imaging services more sustainable.
Dr James Thomas, EMRAD medical director, said: “The early ambition and foresight of EMRAD has placed our imaging community years ahead of others and I am delighted that EMRAD has been confirmed as the imaging network for the East Midlands.
“Aspects of EMRAD’s governance and approach were incorporated into the national strategy. We will be seeking the input of all partners to ensure that by working together, we can develop and grow and meet the challenges ahead.”
EMRAD recently announced a new Medical Director, Dr Iain Macleod (pictured, right) who will take over the reins in November 2021 from Dr James Thomas (left).
James, a Consultant Radiologist and Deputy Divisional Director, Surgery at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, has been EMRAD Medical Director since 2018. He said: “Over the past few years, EMRAD, the Imaging Network has come on leaps and bounds, including being awarded a large amount of funding to take some new and exciting projects forward.
“It is the right time for a new person to be at the helm and steer the network into it’s next chapter. The coming years will be very exciting for what we can achieve for the patients of the East Midlands. With Iain in the Medical Director’s chair, I am confident that the network is in very safe hands and will continue to thrive”.
Incoming EMRAD Medical Director, and fellow Consultant Radiologist at NUH Dr Iain Macleod said on his new appointment: “With the recent developments in the network we are at the start of a new chapter for EMRAD – one with almost limitless possibilities. I am excited to see where we can, together, take our Imaging Network and what developments we can make to further improve the care we provide for our patients.
“My feeling is that this will be achieved through partnerships – strengthening the ones we have within the region and forging new ones outside the region. This will mean that EMRAD continues to grow as a network, rather than just an image sharing collaborative, and I am looking forward to working with as many colleagues throughout the healthcare system as possible to help this happen”.
For more information, visit www.emrad.nhs.uk or follow EMRAD on Twittter.
