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Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) has unveiled a £3.7m investment into a brand-new, state-of-the-art diagnostics area to reduce waiting times for patients.
Part of the new multi-storey extension at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary (RAEI) site, the cutting-edge department is now home to a top-tier Computed Tomography (CT) scanner and two new digital X-ray rooms directly to the frontlines of care, serving ward patients and those arriving via the Emergency Department (ED).
By placing these critical diagnostic tools on a single, easily accessible level alongside the recently opened Andrew Foster Endoscopy Unit, WWL is reducing the need to transfer critically ill patients long distances or between hospital floors, improving patient flow and leading to a reduction of waiting times, and accelerating emergency medical care.
WWL’s CEO, Mary Fleming, emphasised the benefits: "This is a major milestone in our commitment to patient care. Having this new area and cutting-edge equipment will help to alleviate the flow of our ever-pressurised Emergency Department.
“The true transformation of this project will be the time colleagues in our ED will gain by not having to release Health Care Assistants or Nurses to escort patients to the diagnostics suite, which used to take a minimum time of 30 minutes per patient.”
The impacts of this £3.7m investment are:
• Faster turnaround times: Accelerated CT imaging and digital X-rays mean quicker diagnosis and faster clinical decisions.
• Rapid discharges: Swifter diagnostic results allow patients to safely return home sooner, freeing up crucial hospital bed capacity.
• Reduced A&E waits: By optimising patient flow, the hub directly tackles long wait times within a highly pressured Emergency Department.
• Expanded capacity: This addition brings WWL’s total diagnostics to five advanced CT scanners operating across its three main sites.
The new £3.7m diagnostic facility is part of a broader, Trust-wide investment strategy to improve the patient experience and through cutting-edge technology and strategic facility design, WWL is continuing to put patient comfort, safety, and speed of care at the heart of its investment plans.
The recently opened Andrew Foster Endoscopy Unit continues to provide quicker access to endoscopy procedures, meaning earlier diagnosis of conditions such as bowel cancer. A total of £14.5m has been invested in endoscopy services across Wigan and Leigh to deliver faster diagnosis, better facilities and greater dignity for patients.
In a bid to tackle elective waiting lists, WWL has also heavily invested in its accredited surgical hubs at Wrightington Hospital and Leigh Infirmary. This includes the launch of a second state-of-the-art orthopaedic robot (VELYS) for knee replacements, operating alongside its existing MAKO robot to deliver world-class precision and faster recovery times.
WWL was also recently awarded an additional £2m through the NHS England Urgent and Emergency Care Capital Incentive Scheme. This funding will be used to expand Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) services, bridge the gap between hospital and home through the BetterLives programme, and transform how care is delivered across the Wigan Borough.