MRI unit may be expanded

St Richard’s Hospital is looking to expand and improve its MRI suite to help cater for increasing demand on its services.

An additional MRI suite could be brought in at St Richard’s Hospital to help staff cope with extra demand, if its planning application is given the green light.

St Richard’s, based in Spitalfield Lane, Chichester, is looking to refurbish its existing imaging department and provide a new build extension, ‘which will accommodate an additional MRI suite’ (CC/19/00872/FUL), following a ‘national increase in screening programmes’.

The design and access statement, produced by Ryder Architecture on behalf of Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said the expanded MRI unit would integrate a new MRI suite with the existing facility.

It also said it will allow the hospital to replace ‘outdated/ broken equipment’ and ‘reduce the time when the service is unavailable due to planned maintenance’.

The statement read: “[This would include;] one new MRI suite and one existing MRI suite, two patients’ changing cubicles, ambulant and wheelchair accessible WCS, improved storage and office provision, new patient waiting area [and] the construction will be phased to enable the existing MRI to remain operational during the construction.”

‘Several changes’ are anticipated to core services, models of care and activity in Western Sussex over the next five to ten years, according to the planning document.

The application has been welcomed by Observer readers.

Commenting on our Facebook page, Patricia Delosrios said it is ‘absolutely, totally, critically needed’, whilst Debbie Hobbs said it is a ‘brilliant idea’.

Mandy Coles also said it is ‘absolutely needed’.

Warwick Bates wrote: “Brilliant. Ridiculous that it needs planning.

“Sooner the better.” A spokesman for Western Sussex Hospitals said it would be releasing more information on the hospital plans next week.

Any updates will be published on our website at www.chichester.co.uk.