10 signatures reached
To: NHS Western Isles
MRI screening
I would like nhs Western Isles to purchase a mobile MRI unit to serve the Islands.
Why is this important?
People are having to fly hundreds of miles for an mri scan. Many people have suffered injuries and should not have to travel so far, especially as there are 2 mri machines in Raigmore hospital. Some people are not allowed to fly because of insurance purposes and a 9 hour journey by ferry then car/public transport is long. From my own experience I was told I wouldn’t be allowed on the plane as I could not bend my knee so my only other option was the ferry. I was really struggling with pain and there was no way I could spend that amount of time in a car, especially as I was struggling with really bad pain after being in the car for 20 minutes. It is unfair to ask patients to travel so far for a diagnosis. Some of the poorest countries in the world have far more advanced technology than the uk which doesn’t seem right. The cost of nhswi paying for flights for patients is ridiculous too, I know people go away for other things but surely having their own mri scanner would save them money in the long term.
