Patients in South Cumbria will benefit from a new £1.6million state-of-the-art CT scanner and scanning suite at Furness General Hospital (FGH) in Barrow.
Funded by NHS England under the Diagnostic Imaging Transformation programme of works, this major project marks an important investment in healthcare for the South Cumbria community and will bring about a substantial improvement in technology, patient experience, colleague experience and long‑term service resilience.
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) will be working on the new development over a period of 12 weeks, with essential activity beginning in early February 2026.
A high‑spec mobile CT scanner will arrive at FGH on Monday 9 February and be located on the bottom car park of the hospital. This mobile unit is a similar model to the new permanent scanner and will enable staff to be fully trained on identical equipment before the installation is complete. Throughout the project, the mobile scanner will deliver continuity of service for patients and provide staff with valuable experience using the updated technology.
The current CT scanner will be decommissioned on Thursday 19 February. From this date, all outpatient CT appointments and some inpatient and Emergency Department (ED) scans will move to the mobile unit. To support safe patient transfers, hospital staff will accompany patients to and from the unit.
For patients who are acutely unwell or unsuitable for movement outside, FGH will continue to provide urgent scanning through a back-up CT‑capable scanner in the hospital’s Radiology Department. Primarily used for nuclear medicine, this back-up scanner will provide essential resilience during the replacement project, including overnight.
The new scanner will bring substantial benefits to clinical practice with cutting‑edge technology, capable of performing the latest scanning techniques, reducing the need for patients to travel to other hospitals for specific tests. The alignment of scanner models across FGH, Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) in Kendal and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI) will streamline staff training and maintenance processes, while improving consistency in diagnostics across the Trust.
Staff will also benefit from a comprehensive training programme following installation, ensuring everyone is fully confident in using the new system. The upgraded environment and modern equipment will support a more efficient and positive workplace for colleagues.
Deborah Nelson, Divisional General Manager for Community, Cancer, Diagnostics and End of Life (CCDE), said: “This project represents a major investment for FGH and will make a real difference to our patients and colleagues. It also demonstrates our Trust Strategy – ‘Putting Patients First’ – in action.
"The development has required an enormous amount of planning due to the complexity and risks involved in removing the old scanner and installing the new one. I’m incredibly proud of the work everyone has put in so far, and I’m looking forward to seeing the benefits this will bring to the hospital and to the people we serve.”
Kirsty Thompson, Deputy Head of Radiology at FGH, added: “The new scanner means patients in the Barrow area will have access to the latest CT technology, including scan types that haven’t previously been available here. It will reduce travel, shorten waiting times and give us far better diagnostic capability.
“For colleagues, the difference will also be huge. The new equipment and improved environment will make it a much nicer and more efficient place to work. For local people, this investment shows that services at FGH are being strengthened. It’s a very positive step for our communities in South Cumbria.”
END
Notes for editors:
A CT scan is a test that takes detailed pictures of the inside of the body. It is usually used to diagnose conditions or check how well treatment is working.
Patients may be referred for a CT scan to:
- Check bones or internal organs after an accident
- Find out if a patient’s symptoms are caused by a condition, such as cancer
- See how well a treatment is working, such as checking the size of a tumour during and after cancer treatment
- Help doctors see inside a patient’s body during a procedure, such as taking a sample of cells (biopsy) or draining an abscess.