Skip to content

This Site is Intended for Healthcare Professionals Only

Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Rutherford Diagnostic Centre opens in Taunton

A state-of-the-art diagnostics centre giving increased access to tests and serving patients from across Somerset and surrounding areas has officially opened.

The Rutherford Diagnostic Centre Somerset in Taunton, run by Rutherford Diagnostics Limited – a subsidiary of Rutherford Health PLC – in partnership with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, is the first community diagnostics centre of its kind in England


It will provide diagnostic services including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), Ultrasound and X-Ray on equipment provided by Rutherford’s technology partner, Philips.

Rutherford 090921 124

The centre was inaugurated by the renowned cancer specialist, Professor Sir Mike Richards CBE, former National Cancer director in the Department of Health.

Professor Richards said: “I’m delighted to have formally opened the first community diagnostics centre run by the independent sector in partnership with the NHS. Even prior to the pandemic the need for more diagnostic services was very clear and the last 18 months have underlined how important it is to rise to meet this challenge successfully.”

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust entered into a partnership with Rutherford Diagnostics Limited in June 2020 amid concerns that the trust might not be able to keep pace with demand for diagnostic tests in the future.

Peter Lewis, chief executive of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is a fantastic facility for patients in Somerset and the surrounding areas.

“As a result our patients have access to diagnostic tests at this modern stand-alone facility away from a busy hospital. This is part of the new recommended way forward for the NHS and has become more important as a result of the global pandemic.

“It also brings real benefits for our radiology, radiographic and booking colleagues who will be working alongside Rutherford’s staff in the centre, enabling them to work in more diverse environments and expand their experience.”

The centre will also help the trust to prioritise its capacity usage at Musgrove Park Hospital for emergency patients or those who are already in the hospital.

Lewis added: “This is not only good for our patients, but also the way we care for people across the whole Somerset healthcare system by enabling them to have imaging scans away from the acute hospital.”

Besides, the additional capacity at the centre will enable the trust to increase its CT capacity by a quarter immediately and its MRI capacity by a quarter within three months.

The centre is the first of the five that Rutherford intends to develop under an agreement between Rutherford Health plc and Equitix, a leading investor, developer in the UK and Europe. Philips will provide the innovative technology at all five sites.

Mike Moran, chief executive officer of Rutherford Health, said: “There has never been a more important time for innovative partnering in healthcare in the UK, to ensure patients get access to earlier diagnosis and the best treatment as quickly as possible.

“This centre is a major step forward in addressing the rising demand for diagnostic services across Somerset and we are delighted to be working in collaboration with the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust to deliver tangible benefit to their patients.

More For You

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) chief executive Janet Morrison was one of the signatories of the statement

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) chief executive Janet Morrison was one of the signatories of the statement

Primary care leaders join forces in effort to 'transform investment into primary care'

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has teamed up with other national primary care bodies to urge the government to allocate more funds towards the sector.

In a joint statement released on the back of the government’s spending review, last week, the organisations welcomed the government’s continued determination to ‘shift care from hospitals to community and from sickness to prevention’ but warned that this would not be possible ‘without further investment in primary care’.

Keep ReadingShow less
Cancer patients warned against using weight-loss jabs

Macmillan Cancer Support said there is not enough evidence on how the weight-loss jabs might affect anti-cancer treatments.

iStock

Cancer patients warned against using weight-loss jabs

Cancer patients have been advised to consult their doctor before taking any weight-loss jabs.

Macmillan Cancer Support has issued this advisory following a surge in calls by cancer patients asking whether they can take fat loss jabs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kamson Pharmacy to deliver more clinical services after installing hub and spoke technology

The FLOWRx auto hub in the new Kamson warehouse in Uckfield.

Kamson Pharmacy to deliver more clinical services after installing hub and spoke technology


Kamsons Pharmacy has announced that it has implemented a state-of-the-art hub and spoke dispensing model with the aim of freeing up more time to deliver clinical services.

Keep ReadingShow less
RPS group aims to tackle barriers holding back black pharmacy students

Work is underway to improve inclusivity in teaching

Pic credit: iStock

RPS group aims to tackle barriers holding back black pharmacy students

A cross-sector group aimed at tackling barriers that block the progression of black students and trainee pharmacists held its first meeting this week.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has created the Differential Attainment Oversight Group to address issues that black or black British African student pharmacists and foundation trainees face such as limited access to work experience, financial support and visible role models in education and training.

Keep ReadingShow less
Older adult organizing medicine bottles in a cool, dry storage area during warm weather.

People are being advised to keep medicine below 25° C

Pic credit: iStock

Pharmacies advise patients on storing medicines safely during heatwave

Patients are being given important advice and guidance on the impact heat can have on their medicine and where to keep different medicines as the UK goes through a heatwave.

People are being advised to keep medicine below 25° C if they are able to, unless storage instructions state it needs to be kept at an alternative temperature, such as drugs that need to be refrigerated.

Keep ReadingShow less