Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2022 to Question 83748 on Health Services: Weather, what type of imaging equipment the £15 million allocated in 2022-23 will go to.

The funding will be used to provide computed tomography, including single-photon emission computed tomography; fluoroscopy; interventional radiology; mammography; magnetic resonance imaging; and non-obstetric ultrasound scan x-ray. It will also include miscellaneous support items and accessories.

The majority of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners being upgraded are under six years old. Funding criteria was approved to upgrade all appropriate MRI scanners in acute hospital trusts with acceleration technology to deliver the greatest impact on waiting lists. Older MRI scanners were excluded as this equipment was close to the recommended replacement age of over 10 years old and suppliers could not ensure the technology would deliver the expected growth in capacity. In future, suppliers and NHS Supply Chain will work with National Health Service trusts to ensure that where appropriate MRI acceleration is purchased, this is in conjunction with the scanner purchase.