MP Steve Barclay, former Health Secretary, demands answers over missing MRI scanner from Wisbech hospital

MP Steve Barclay is demanding answers from NHS bosses over a missing MRI scanner from a Fenland hospital.

The North East Cambs MP has discovered that a £1million MRI scanner for cancer patients has been removed from Fenland – despite promises it would stay.

Now he has written to John O’Brien, chair of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board (the body responsible for commissioning health services in our area).

Posting on social media the angry MP said: “A £1 million mobile MRI scanner to speed up the diagnosis of cancer and cardiovascular patients has been removed from Fenland, with health bosses claiming this is due to a lack of patient demand despite the public and elected representatives not being told of the decision.

“Just over a year ago, I raised concerns regarding access to the valuable MRI scanner following a decision to temporarily move it to Ely whilst building work was undertaken.

“I also questioned why more use was not being made of the new £2.1 million state-of-the-art Wisbech Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC).

“Cambridgeshire health bosses assured me at the time that the change in the MRI scanner was temporary, for a few months only, to enable an upgrade at the Wisbech site.

“They wrote on November 23 2023 to say ‘essential electrics work is being undertaken at the Wisbech site to allow MRI and CT scan units to move away from generator use and onto mains power. Once these works are complete in early 2024, the MRI unit will be installed back on site at Wisbech CDC’.

“In fact instead of returning to Wisbech in April 2024 as previously promised, the Integrated Care Board (the body responsible for clinical commissioning) has since cancelled the MRI scanner which it previously rented.

“At no point does this information appear to have been shared with the public and elected representatives, despite stating the decision was due to a lack of patient demand.

“The claim of a lack of patient demand is odd given high waiting lists and the absence of any public information campaign. Nor should this information only come to light after I raised further questions recently over the under utilisation of the Wisbech CDC.”

In his letter to Mr O’Brien Mr Barclay wants to know when the MRI unit will be returned, as promised to Wisbech.