NHS Forth Valley Fails to Respond as Report Reveals Scottish Hospitals Relying on Decades-Old Hospital Equipment

NHS Forth Valley failed to release information on hospital equipment following a freedom of information request. The request revealed that Scottish hospitals are relying on MRI scanners and X-ray machines that are decades old.

The picture across Scotland shows that many boards are using outdated equipment with NHS Grampian still using an MRI scanner which is 15 years old, while one of its X-ray machines is 27 years old. 

Nearby NHS Tayside also had an MRI scanner, a CT scanner and two X-ray machines that were more than 15 years old.

An independent report to NHS bosses in England recommended that CT and MRI machines that are over 10 years old should be retired.

However, NHS Forth Valley was the only board in Scotland not to respond to the FOI request. Chris has written to NHS Forth Valley demanding that these figures be released.

Chris commented: “With hospitals across the country struggling with dangerously outdated equipment, NHS Forth Valley must be transparent and release their figures so that patients know the quality of service they are receiving.

“Across Scotland, we see a picture of growing incompetence and neglect from the Scottish Government, with patients paying the price. Over the past 18 years, our NHS has been allowed to deteriorate, with out-of-date equipment and growing waiting lists.

“The UK government has provided Scotland with a record budget settlement. It is now up to the Scottish Government to ensure that hospitals can invest in the latest technology—reducing waiting times and delivering the fast, accurate diagnoses that patients deserve.”