Dinner - Speaker

Rotarians in Newton Aycliffe have been thanked for their commitment to a major fund-raising campaign that will see Darlington Memorial Hospital and Bishop Auckland Hospital equipped with state-of-the-art MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanners. The two machines will cost around £2.5million and will replace equipment that is now 18 yearsold and leased from a private finance company.

Rob Goddard, project manager for the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, told Rotarians this week: “We are really grateful for your support.”

At a time when demand for cardiac MRI scanning is increasing at a rate of 30 per cent per annum and Trusts are under increasing pressure nationally to meet a two-week referral target, the new scanners will have two major benefits - they will not only boost image quality but also improve the experience for patients.

MRI scanners, Mr Goddard explained, use a magnetic field and pulse radio waves to make images which can identify detail of cancers, bone marrow, heart, bowel and brain conditions without the use of radiation.

“Our current service is generally good but the equipment is ageing, relatively inflexible, not owned by the Trust, and the staff who operate it are not employed by the Trust either,” said Mr Goddard. “We want to run the service ourselves, recruit and retain our own staff and improve the patient environment and experience.”

The new equipment, Rotarians heard, would have much more headroom than the current machines (which some people find restrictive) and the scanning process would be made less challenging by enabling patients to select their own choice of mood lighting, music and film during their scan.

Fund-raising had already got off to a good start, said Mr Goddard. There would be a business breakfast launch at Rockcliffe Hall on March 30 and a Golf Day on May 26. Mr Goddard was introduced to members by Rtn Syd Howarth (pictured left with Newton Aycliffe Rotary Club President Nora Scott and Robert Goddard) who is heading the Rotaryappeal for the scanners in and around Aycliffe, and was thanked by Rtn Pat Pickersgill.

Donations to the appeal can be made via www.justgiving.com/cddft or Text SCAN02 £10 to 70070 (please specify any amount you wish to donate). You can also choose a BACS to: Nat West Sort Code 60-70-80 Acct: 10011056 or send a cheque to: CDDFT Scanner Appeal, Darlington Memorial Hospital, Hollyhurst Road Darlington DL3 6HX