Local radiology services healthy - DHB

The future of Wanganui's radiology services is assured, despite a review into the services by the Whanganui and MidCentral district health boards.

The two DHBs have launched a joint review of their medical imaging services, which they say will help define the needs of both populations.

Medical imaging services, also known as radiology, includes X-rays, CT, MRI, ultrasound, mammography, nuclear medicine and fluoroscopy. The services are provided in Wanganui and Palmerston North hospitals, private practices and rural health centres.

WDHB medical business manager, Louise Torr, told the Wanganui Chronicle that Wanganui would retain its current level of radiology services, and that there was no plan to centralise services.

"Radiology is most definitely not a service in crisis," she said. There were, however, opportunities for the two services to work more closely together.

"The review gives us the chance to look at how we might do that. There may be some opportunities to do remote reading [of certain scans] and Wanganui has already started doing that."

Technology was another area that would be carefully looked at, she said.

"I know that there is some new equipment they really need in Palmerston North. But we have kept up-to-date with our equipment in Wanganui, and we will not be losing any of that equipment."

Ms Torr said both services have their strength and weakness.

"For example, we have three staff members in ultrasound, and Palmerston North only has one. But we don't do bone density scans or nuclear medicine scans in Wanganui, people have to go to Palmerston North for that."

The radiology requirements for more centres were quite different, with more people in Palmerston North having scans done privately. Ms Torr said a plan for the future of the services will be drawn up after consultation with GPs, midwives, hospital staff, DHB management, private providers, Breast Screen Aotearoa, and others.

The outcome of the review will be a series of reports and a development plan. The review and the plan will be presented to both DHBs later this year.