East Cheshire NHS Trust has selected Siemens Healthcare to provide a seven-year Managed Equipment Service (MES) agreement, enabling it to benefit from a range of the latest-generation MR, ultrasound and X-ray systems.
The partnership has allowed the trust to invest in the latest technology without a dedicated capital programme, helping it to increase throughput and boost image quality during diagnosis.
“The trust serves a population of over 470,000 and in the last year alone, we have imaged around 125,000 patients across all modalities. This has steadily increased year-on-year as we witness a rise in demand for diagnostic testing,” said Simon Lewis, lead radiographer at East Cheshire NHS Trust.
“The Managed Equipment Service has allowed us to invest in state-of-the-art imaging technology to support this increase. This has also led to increased clinical certainty over image quality and diagnosis, meaning we can more easily detect smaller problems using the lowest achievable dose where relevant.”
The MES partnership provided the trust with the freedom to specify its equipment requirements from a wide range of systems, enabling it to choose the technology that it felt best met its needs. The agreement also covers the maintenance and provision of this equipment, helping to minimise system down time and provide peace of mind. A predetermined annual payment profile was also put into place for financial certainty, enabling greater transparency and simplified budget management.
John Dillon, radiology services manager at East Cheshire NHS Trust, said: “The trust chose to partner with Siemens Healthcare after carrying out a competitive EU procurement compliant tender via Health Trust Europe. After careful evaluation, it was clear Siemens’ multi-vendor MES offered the best systems and support for our needs, packaged in a way that offered real value. A strong partnership is also important to us, as the provision of healthcare is a complicated one and therefore all parties need to have a good relationship to ensure it is implemented effectively.”
Nancy West, head of business development at Healthcare Enterprise Solutions at Siemens Healthcare, added: “Siemens and East Cheshire NHS Trust are working closely to ensure the MES contributes to increased efficiency and optimised utilisation within the radiology department. Managed over a seven-year period, with an optional three-year extension, the MES provides access to innovative medical technology and shoulders any risks, leaving the trust to focus on patient care. A detailed understanding of a trust’s objectives ensures we always deliver an individually tailored solution, whether for a specific department, entire hospital and over a short or long-term period.”
