Rutland County Council has granted planning permission for an MRI scanning unit to be located at Oakham Enterprise Park (OEP), near Ashwell.
Community Interest Company Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Patient Care Locally (LLR PCL), working in partnership with Rutland County Council, have been seeking to locate an MRI unit at OEP, which is owned by the Council. The scanner will be operated under contract by the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL).
Rutland currently has no MRI facility within the county. This means patients needing the service are often subject to long wait times, as well as having to travel out of the county to Leicester and Peterborough to have their scans.
Planning permission for construction of a concrete base, pedestrian ramp and associated works for siting of an MRI scanner at OEP was awarded by Rutland County Council’s Planning Committee on Tuesday 18 April. Work to put the necessary infrastructure in place at OEP will commence shortly, with the aim of allowing the scanner to become operational by autumn of this year.
“Having been recommended for approval, the Council’s Planning Committee agreed with officers that the infrastructure for an MRI scanned would be an acceptable addition to Oakham Enterprise Park. As the property owner, Rutland County Council will now work with LLR PCL to enable the necessary works to take place on site – bringing significant benefits to our residents. We’re extremely pleased to be able to support this enhancement to the County’s health facilities.”
Penny Sharp, Strategic Director for Places at Rutland County Council
“This is welcome news and another hugely positive step towards realising our shared ambitions for a Rutland MRI scanner. Further work is now needed to implement the plans that have been approved by the Council’s Planning Committee and we look forward to updating Rutland residents as soon as we can confirm when the unit will become operational.”
Paula Clark, Chair of LLR PCL
“The plans for the implementation of Rutland’s MRI scanner form part of Rutland’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy for 2022 to 2027, which has been co-produced with LLR ICB along with Rutland County Council and our Rutland population. This particular ambition seeks to bring care closer to home for our Rutland residents and will reduce the need for travel for a range of diagnostic tests. This is a clear illustration of the impact of working collaboratively for the benefits of our local patients and seeing plans transform into reality.”
Rachna Vyas, Chief Operating Officer for the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board