Heartbeat: Imaging on the road to recovery
September 25, 2020
Post the initial COVID-19 outbreak; diagnostic imaging was one of the first services to restart routine appointments as part of the Trust’s recovery and restoration programme.
The imaging senior management team, modality leads and support staff initially met twice a week as a mini project team, to review and amend working practices such as booking templates, PPE requirements, cleaning regimes and operational segregation of blue (non-COVID) and red (COVID) streams.
The service adopted the Trust pre-screening rules and identified designated blue areas where patients could have their diagnostic test safely and with minimal risk of crossinfection. Routine CT, MRI, US and plain film examinations were provided within the BTC, Rowley Regis Hospital and Glebefields.
Restarting routine services was however only phase one of recovery and restoration programme. Phase two is about increasing activity to pre-pandemic levels, restarting speciality diagnostics and reducing the backlog accumulated during the period where routine work was put on hold.
The whole imaging team has been fully supportive of getting back to business as usual and ensuring that our patients are seen as soon and as safely as possible. To address the backlog the team are working extended hours at Rowley and BTC to provide additional plain film x-ray capacity. Previously all plain film x-ray was a walk-in service, however, to maintain infection control measures, this is now an appointment service only.
There are two mobile MRI scanners onsite and a mobile CT scanner due to arrive in September 2020. Also, the ultrasound team are working extended hours with the support of two locum sonographers.
Additional sessions with DEXA and fluoroscopy have also been initiated. Over the last couple of weeks speciality diagnostics such as radio-frequency ablations, CT colonography and CT cardiac scanning have restarted which required a specific redesign of streaming and working practices to facilitate the separation of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients and seamless continuation of emergency services.
Radiologists, radiographers, assistant practitioners, imaging support workers, imaging nurses and all other imaging staff continue to go above and beyond to ensure that our patients receive the highest standard of care during these difficult times.
Fiona Rotherham, Interim Group Director of Operations – Imaging commented: “This is an exciting time for the imaging department as we begin taking steps forward to restore patient care. COVID-19 has placed a strain on a lot of services – we are pleased to be working together to increase our patient activity and are determined to clear our backlog.
“The team have been so supportive of our recovery efforts and have worked hard to get us to a good place. We are only at the beginning of our restoration journey and look forward to what the future holds for our area.”