Minister for Health and Community Care, Andy Kerr MSP officially opened the new NHS Forth Valley Scanning Centre on 15th May 2006.

The new centre at Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary is a collaboration with the independent sector and has helped reduce waiting times from 18 weeks in 2004/05 to two weeks at present.
Before the new scanning department was built MRI Scanning in Forth Valley was provided in two ways. Some patients were scanned using a mobile scanner which visited Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary twice each week, while other patients had to travel to the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Glasgow. Now MRI scanning is available five days each week at FDRI.

“Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary is the centre of excellence for planned care for the population of Forth Valley and this continued investment in services allows us to deliver real benefits for patients by reducing waiting times which are currently two weeks.” said Ian Mullen, OBE, Chairman of NHS Forth Valley.

Andy Kerr said; “Reducing the time people have to wait for scans is one of our key targets. The new scanning department is already helping to deliver fast and effective treatment for patients in Forth Valley. Through selective use of the private sector, the Board have added to existing capacity to make a real a difference to people’s treatment.”

The collaboration with Alliance Medical will provide the MRI scanning service until the department moves into the new hospital at Larbert.

Alliance Medical have invested more than £1 million in the latest MRI technology at Falkirk District Royal Infirmary. This new centre shows how Alliance Medical's experience of capital funding, project management and radiography is now providing the NHS in Scotland with a first class service.

The Minister will tour the centre, which took its first patients on 27th March 2006, before being invited to mark the official opening of the scanner by unveiling a plaque.