UK Biobank provides extra diagnostic capacity for local NHS hospitals

In response to the increasing pressure placed on NHS scanning capacity during the coronavirus pandemic, UK Biobank signed a 12 month contract with the NHS in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) to lease its Bristol Imaging assessment centre.  

Starting in early December 2020, the Filton facility is now being used to provide up to 150 MRI scans per week for University Hospitals Bristol, Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) and North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT), whilst UK Biobank’s multi-organ scanning project is on hold. As a result, local capacity for diagnostic tests has increased by 15% at a crucial time when NHS hospital services have been significantly impacted as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

"We are delighted that our new imaging facility will be used to ease some of the pressures faced by the NHS through this difficult period. Whilst our multi-organ scanning project is on hold, our skilled team are eager to help increase local scanning capacity to benefit the local people of Bristol and its surrounding region, who have always supported our research very generously."

Gareth Gregory, Chief Finance Officer for UK Biobank

UK Biobank’s Filton facility will provide a state of the art resource for people to receive diagnostic tests away from a hospital setting. Systems are linked to those at UHBW and NBT to ensure teams have easy access to the images from the centre. This extra capacity will focus on less complex scanning, but include specialities such as musculoskeletal and neurological scanning.

More information can be found here.