People in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire are set to benefit from a new 'X-Ray at Home' service.

The new service is designed to reduce unnecessary visits to University Hospitals North Midlands (UHNM) Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department.

A senior radiographer and a support worker will be able to see patients in their own homes or in care homes alongside the Community Rapid Intervention Service (CRIS) team, an integrated service provided by both UHNM and Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) for patients at risk of needing an admission to hospital.

Laura Greenwood, Superintendent Radiographer, said: "This is such an exciting time for radiography and UHNM as it is something that we have never done before.

"It's fantastic that we have been given the opportunity to make a positive difference in the community.

"For a lot of patients, coming to hospital can be extremely disruptive so being able to make their care much easier for them is really important. 

"I hope that X-Ray at home is the future of radiography and hope to grow the fleet of mobile vans and therefore the amount of patients we are able to help."

X-Ray at Home is UHNM's latest mobile service, which aims to provide faster, more convenient diagnostic imaging for patients in the comfort of their own home and prevent unnecessary visits to the Accident and Emergency department.

The team will be able to see patients across Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire, offering a professional helpline for West Midlands Ambulance Service and community teams to refer patients who are able to have an x-ray within their own home.

The X-Ray vehicle has been funded by the UHNM Charity.

Rob Gordon, Head of Imaging at UHNM said: "I'm delighted to see this new community-based service come into place.

"It's something we've been working towards for a long time, ensuring that patients who don't need to attend A&E can still access the care they require closer to home.

"Alongside the CRIS team we're confident this service will enhance the overall patient experience, not only by reducing unnecessary hospital visits, but also by easing demand on ambulance services in the community, creating wider benefits for everyone."