The Whittington Health NHS Trust evolves multiLIFE contract with Asteral
Variation includes the installation of a new MRI scanner and provision of a fully-comprehensive maintenance service
Asteral has agreed a major variation to its multiLIFE contract with The Whittington Health NHS Trust.
The variation will include the installation of a new MRI scanner, a dStream conversion to the Trust’s existing MRI scanner, two injectors, and provision of a fully-comprehensive maintenance service.
The change comes eight years into the 15-year scheme and demonstrates the flexibility of Asteral’s Equipment-as-a-Service offering. The partnership between Asteral and Whittington has so far involved the design and build of one of Britain’s most technologically-advanced imaging departments, which includes a 64-slice Siemens Somatom Sensation CT Scanner; a Philips Achieva 1.5T MRI scanner; a GE Infinia gamma camera; six Philips ultrasound units; three mobile c-arm image intensifiers; and an Xograph digital dental unit.
Asteral has taken responsibility for all design and construction interface matters under the contract to date, and this will continue with the delivery of the new Ingenia 1.5T Omega HP MRI scanner planned for May.
Christopher Langley, Asteral’s chief executive, said: “The recent variation at Whittington demonstrates the many benefits that a managed equipment service can bring to trusts, including leveraging the latest technologies from a range of suppliers. Asteral offers a vendor-independent service providing ongoing access to the latest fit-for-purpose equipment based on the trust’s evolving clinical and financial requirements, while ensuring the equipment estate stays closely aligned to the needs of patients and staff.”
Adrian Trinidade, MRI superintendent at The Whittington Health NHS Trust, added: “The ability to adapt our managed equipment service to our individual requirements throughout the length of a long-term contract is a great benefit and extremely reassuring, allowing Whittington Health NHS Trust to have increased flexibility with its equipment selection and, in turn, offer its patients access to the latest in diagnostic imaging equipment technologies. The new scanner will enable us to deliver innovative scanning techniques as well as meet the ever expanding service requirements for both planned and non-elective patients.”
