The service, which is run by Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH), was temporarily closed in 2020 due to challenges posed by the pandemic and was reinstated this month to provide essential healthcare support to the local community.
The X-ray service at Retford Hospital operates as a convenient walk-in facility following GP referral, offering services from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 4:30pm. This development is set to benefit the residents of Retford and wider patients within Bassetlaw, eliminating the need to travel to the Trust’s main acute sites in Worksop and Doncaster for routine X-rays.
Recently, the facility has also undergone significant improvements, including the installation of state-of-the-art equipment. In addition to this, the ultrasound room has been refurbished, having been replaced following funding from NHS England in 2022.
As such, the X-ray service at Retford Hospital will now offer a full range of routine scans, such as chest, abdomen, and limb X-rays, ensuring comprehensive diagnostic capabilities for the local community.
Since its reopening on November 1 2023, the X-ray service at Retford Hospital has already welcomed 100 patients.
The appointment-free service will not only cater to the immediate healthcare needs of the community but also serve as a valuable training ground for radiographers within the Trust, providing an additional avenue for professional development within the service’s team.
Retford Hospital will continue to accommodate non-obstetric examinations for outpatients and primary care referrals by appointment only.
Sara Elliott, Head of Medical Imaging at DBTH, said: “We are delighted to announce the reopening of the X-ray service at Retford Hospital. The revamped facility, alongside a more accessible avenue for patients, will enhance our diagnostic capabilities, release pressures on acute sites and support the ongoing training and development of healthcare professionals. We hope this will once again become a popular and convenient service for our patients in Bassetlaw.”
Across the Trust’s three main hospital sites in Doncaster, Bassetlaw and Montagu, the Trust carries out over 460,000 medical imaging examinations each year, supported by over 290 colleagues in the department including Radiologists, Radiographers, Nurses, Clerical staff, and Service Assistants.