Access to timely and accurate imaging services is at the heart of modern healthcare delivery for both primary and secondary care. This aids clinicians to make the correct diagnosis and decide the appropriate treatment for patients.
Currently there is variability in access to emergency imaging across Scotland, both diagnostic and interventional, out with normal working hours.
There is increasing patient and clinician expectation that, not only emergency imaging, but a more extended imaging service should be available to them on a 7 day basis from both a safety and person focused point of view.
One of the aims contained in the SCIN work plan for 2014-2015 was to look specifically at the issue of seven day working in Imaging in Scotland, in collaboration with the Scottish Government’s Sustainability & Seven Day Services Taskforce. A subgroup of SCIN was set up in 2014 to look at this issue with the remit to report back to the Task Force on their deliberations.
The group made recommendations on two separate but linked issues with regard to out of hours imaging.
1. The standardisation of emergency imaging tests and procedures which should be accessible on an equitable basis across Scotland within all acute receiving hospitals
2. The implementation of 7 day working in Imaging in Scotland.
The document, “Report for the Sustainability & Seven Day Services Taskforce Seven Day Working in Imaging in Scotland” outlines the recommendations of the subgroup.
SCIN plans to audit Imaging services in Scotland against the recommendations in the report.