Media Release
Date: 27 May 2020
A touch of Hollywood arrives at the RUH's Radiology Department
Nervous young patients undergoing MRI examinations at Bath's Royal United Hospital can now watch a film to take their mind off the scanning process, thanks to the generosity of the Time is Precious charity.
A specialised DVD player has been installed in one of the MRI scan rooms in the Radiology department which will allow patients to watch a top Hollywood movie while they have their scan.
The RUH's Radiology Department has continued to operate throughout the COVID-19 crisis. While some routine scans have been temporarily postponed, urgent scans have continued to take place to provide essential care. The department has adapted its ways of working, to offer as many appointments as possible whilst maintaining social distancing and infection control measures.
Di Pressdee, Team Lead Radiographer for CT and MRI, said: "This extremely generous donation will be a huge benefit to our patients, especially children who are understandably nervous about having a scan.
"MRI scanners can look quite imposing and are noisy too, so by putting on their favourite DVD and listening through the dedicated headphones, patients can enjoy a film and take their mind off the scanning process. Due to the strong magnetic field of the scanner, the DVD player has to be highly specialised which makes it expensive and we would not have been able to provide this without the help of Time is Precious.
"This donation is the icing on the cake for the Radiology department. We've just finished upgrading and replacing all six of the RUH's CT & MRI scanners – the final stage of a development project that makes our Radiology department one of the most modern and best-equipped in the South West."
The Time is Precious charity was set up in 2011 by Neil and Nicky Halford in memory of their son Ben, who died from cancer aged just five. Ben was treated at the RUH, as well as Bristol Children's Hospital and the former Frenchay Hospital.
The aim of the charity is to help create a more comfortable and relaxed atmosphere for children and their families in hospital or at home. To date, it has donated more than £200,000 to the RUH in the form of equipment and refurbishment projects.
Neil said: "It's a pleasure for Time is Precious to support such amazing piece of equipment. From our personal experience in the past, this will make a massive difference."
The Radiology department upgrade was a five-year, £7.5m investment programme by the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust.
It means the department now has six modern MRI and CT scanners as well as X-ray and ultrasound facilities. The department also has a PET-CT scanner used in the detection and diagnosis of cancer and dementia, which was installed in 2016. There are also larger and improved waiting areas for patients.
Around 275,000 patients come for imaging in the Radiology department each year – of which, over 60,000 were for CT and MRI scans.
For more information about Time is Precious go to www.timeisprecious.org