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North East scanner business to be rolled out

Plans are afoot for the only open MRI scanner service in the North East which offers unique diagnosis for a range of conditions to be rolled out across the UK.

The state-of-the art open MRI scanner at Newcastle Clinic in Jesmond is used to diagnose NHS patients who suffer from claustrophobia or who are unable to fit into a conventional ‘closed’ scanner offered at NHS hospitals.

The open Magnetic Resource Imaging scanner – the most advanced in the North of England - is suitable for a range of essential diagnostic procedures including suspected cancer investigations, back problems and sports injuries and can be used for NHS and private patients.

It is among a range of diagnostic services at the Jesmond based clinic run by a highly trained team of 30, made up of consultant clinical radiologists, radiographers, nurses, specialist physicians and support staff.

Newcastle Clinic managing director Shaun Fryer said: “We have already successfully reached out to people from across the North who need to use our open scanner for whatever reason and are suffering unnecessary pain from a treatable condition or stress from fear of the unknown and now we are looking to reach out across the UK.”

Chairman of Newcastle Clinic and Executive Chairman of the Leeds based Oakapple Group, Phil Taylor, who is working closely with Shaun Fryer, says the scanner plays a key role in his growth strategy for the medical diagnostic sector.

“The North East is a blue print for this medical service to be rolled out nationally,” he said. “We’ve achieved success with Newcastle Clinic and its growing suite of diagnostic tools available to NHS and private clients alike.

“There is a drive toward more privatised medical diagnostic providers and we intend to position ourselves at the forefront of this.

“Ultimately I will be looking to roll out the successful model we have developed in Newcastle - which provides the only open MRI scanner in the North of England ideally suited for claustrophobic and larger users, as well as a range of other diagnostic tools including x-ray and ultrasound equipment used for sports injuries and in conjunction with pain relief injections.

“I would be very happy to roll out the model we have used at Newcastle Clinic, with predicted sales of £2.5million by the end of 2013, right across the country.”

The North East clinic is unique in attracting world class clinical leaders in their field thanks to its location close to teaching hospitals across the region. Self-employed clinical consultant neuroradiologist Dr Daniel Birchall interprets images of the brain, spine and nervous system and works at Newcastle Clinic and for Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

He said: “A unique strength of this clinic is the expertise it brings together for the effective diagnosis of patients.

“Newcastle Clinic is located near the teaching hospitals such as The Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust which are staffed by teams of world leading experts in their field.

“As a result of this proximity Newcastle Clinic benefits from a complement of self-employed clinical consultants who supplement their working week within the NHS with additional hours here.”

Newcastle Clinic was started in the 1960s by an osteopath and a chiropractor but in January 2007, under the guidance of Shaun, the private business was renamed Newcastle Clinic. Significant investment followed involving extensive refurbishment and culminated in the purchase of the £750,000, 30 tonne open sided MRI scanner early in 2011. The usual closed MRI scanner found in hospitals is a tunnel like device which the patient enters lying down and remains inside for around 40 minutes until the procedure is complete. However, the open MRI scanner doesn’t have the restrictive sides so it is suitable for those patients with a fear of confined spaces and larger people. It is this diagnostic service that is heavily in demand and a formula that is repeatable across the UK. For more information please visit the Newcastle Clinic website at http://www.newcastleclinic.co.uk/

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