Six-month wait for MRI scans

Thu, 27 Oct 2016

Patients needing an MRI scan in the Isle of Man are having to wait up to six months.

Health Minister Kate Beecroft revealed that urgent cases can take up to a month to be seen at Noble's, while non-urgent cases can be left for up to 26 weeks.

The Minister added that demand for MRIs has increased significantly since the equipment was installed in 2003, with over 3,000 cases being referred for such a scan last year.

The technology can be used to identify cancers and heart disease, as well as other conditions, but only four full-time staff at the hospital have been trained to carry out the scans.