Siemens awarded multi-million medical imaging contract to kit out new acute hospital

New facilities for University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust by 2010

Birmingham, UK, The new acute hospital to serve the healthcare needs of residents in Birmingham and the West Midlands will benefit from a raft of innovative medical imaging technologies when it opens its doors to patients in 2010. A multi-million pound investment on four MRI scanners, four CT and three SPECT/CT systems has been made by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB). Siemens Healthcare will be supplying the equipment in these three modality areas for the new hospital, which has just been named as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), providing a first class service to patients.

Construction of the QEHB is currently underway and will replace the Queen Elizabeth and Selly Oak Hospitals to provide one centralised service. Included in the order is a MAGNETOM® Verio 3 Tesla MR scanner which will be used for complex imaging requirements. The hospital will also take delivery of Siemens’ advanced SOMATOM® Definition AS+ 128 slice CT scanner which will be used in a dedicated emergency department. This adaptive system is suitable for any clinical need, making it ideal for trauma imaging in a hospital that will see a range of patient admissions.

“We opted for Siemens equipment as, in the view of the Clinical Evaluation team, it is best-of-breed in the areas of CT, MR and molecular imaging and also delivers a good return on investment,” said Paul Brettle, Imaging X-ray Group Manager at UHB. “The new hospital will be a flagship site in terms of the services we will be able to provide and the Siemens systems will play a significant part in delivering this. As well as offering a state-of-the-art imaging facility for the community in 2010, we also want to ensure we can meet the needs of local patients well into the future; such innovative technology will assist us in not only keeping waiting lists down, but in tackling conditions that are increasing in an ageing population.”

The order from UHB was secured with the Trust via NHS Supply Chain. This meant that UHB could approach a number of suppliers to determine which equipment would best suit its needs and the needs of the community. Siemens was selected in MRI, CT and molecular imaging.

“By kitting out the new hospital with Siemens diagnostic imaging equipment, we can offer continuity to staff using the systems. We’ll also be able to seamlessly link all images across the site, which will improve reporting and allow us to provide a more efficient service,” said Dr. Peter Guest, Clinical Service Lead Radiology at UHB. “We have a good relationship with Siemens and look forward to working closely for training and development when the installations go live in 2010.”

“Siemens is delighted to be playing a role in the UHB project, which will make a real difference to diagnosis and treatment in the area,” said Steve Holmes, National Sales Manager at Siemens Healthcare. “We are certain that the advanced CT, MR and molecular imaging systems will be greatly beneficial to both staff and patients. We are looking forward to the hospital’s official opening in 2010 to see how quickly a return is delivered in meeting the healthcare needs of the local area.”

About Siemens Healthcare
The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world’s largest suppliers to the healthcare industry. The company is a renowned medical solutions provider with core competence and innovative strength in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies as well as in knowledge engineering, including information technology and system integration. With its laboratory diagnostics acquisitions, Siemens Healthcare is the first integrated healthcare company, bringing together imaging and lab diagnostics, therapy and healthcare information technology solutions, supplemented by consulting and support services. Siemens Healthcare delivers solutions across the entire continuum of care – from prevention and early detection, to diagnosis, therapy and care. Additionally, Siemens Healthcare is the global market leader in innovative hearing instruments. The company employs more than 49,000 people worldwide and operates in 130 countries. In the fiscal year 2008 (Sept. 30), Siemens Healthcare reported sales of €11.2 billion, orders of €11.8 billion, and Sector profit of €1.2 billion. Further information can be found by visiting http://www.siemens.co.uk/healthcare.

About University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) runs two hospitals, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Selly Oak Hospital, located 1.5 miles apart in south Birmingham. UHB’s vision is to deliver the best in care for the patients and communities it serves. It has 40 specialities, the widest range provided by any hospital in the UK – and is a regional centre for organ transplant, trauma, burns, plastic surgery, cardiology and neuro-sciences. UHB is the leading teaching and research hospital trust in the Midlands. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham will cost £545m and will replace the Queen Elizabeth and Selly Oak Hospitals. The first phase opens in June 2010. All services will be transferred by November 2011.