View our clinical guidelines here

What we do

The Radiology Department at South Tyneside and Sunderland Foundation Trust provides a range diagnostic imaging: X ray, CT, MRI and Ultrasound. As well as more specific specialist tests and interventional procedures. 

A large proportion of the imaging is provided on our sites but there are some patients who have to be sent offsite to neighbouring sites and organisations for some diagnostics as and when appropriate for example  The Spire Hospital, Washington. 

The department has a team of Reporting Radiographers working alongside the Consultant Radiologists to provide a robust reporting service. 

Where we are based

  • Radiology Department, C Level, SRH
  • Radiology Department, STDH

PACS

Getting Started with PACS

When the time comes that you need to access PACS, you need to make sure that you’ve followed the right steps before you can begin using the Impax software.  These steps are:

Access & Training 

PACS receives lists on a monthly basis from City Hospitals Human Resources Team informing us of staff who require access as part of their role. 

Registration for AGFA Impax is performed utilising these lists. Your username and password for AGFA Impax is the same as your Trust PC details.

If you are a member of staff who works at peripheral sites, without a CHS .chsft account, you may still register for PACS access, but this is performed in another way.

Training can be provided if necessary

Please contact: cis-tr.pacssupportteam@nhs.net to organise a training session or with any queries you may have.

For information on how to transfer images either to Sunderland’s PACS or from Sunderland’s PACS, please see Image Transfer dropdown.

Patient Identifiers in PACS/Cluster Data Store

The Cluster Data Store is used by several other Trusts and as such it is important to ensure that patient data (in this case images) does not get mixed up.  In order to do this, each Trust using CDS is mandated to amend the local patient identifier (X number) to add a local Trust code (NACS code) to ensure they are unique.  For CHS, the NACS code is RLN, so within PACS the code will become, RLNX1234567.

More information can be found on the PACS and Cluster Data Store dropdown.

PACS Cluster Data Store

Unique patient identifiers – NACS pre-fixing

The Cluster Data Store is used by several other Trusts. As such, it is important to ensure that patient data (in this case, images) do not get mixed up. In order to do this, each Trust using CDS is mandated to amend the local patient identifier (X number) to add a local Trust code (NACS code) to ensure they are unique. For CHS, the NACS code is RLN, so within PACS, the code will become:

RLNX1234567

Please note, only PACS will require the use of this code. No other systems will use it, so searching for patients in other systems will remain as at present.

The NACS pre-fix will be added to the patients X number when patient data enters PACS, and removed, when the data is returned to the Meditech system. The NACS pre-fix will be applied to all new patient details AND all existing patient records within PACS.

No other search criteria will be affected by this change.

Searching for patients with PACS

There are 3 ways to search for a patient in PACS:

  • In the main search screen, ADD the prefix (RLN) to the X number (X1234567) 
  • In the advanced search, using ‘Patient ID Is’, ADD the prefix (RLN) to the X number (X1234567). 
  • In the advanced search, change the patient ID search criteria from ‘IS’ to ‘Ends with’. 

Please click here showing examples of each type of search.

How will image viewing work when we are connected to CDS?

  • We can only view images from our local PACS store. 
  • Our local store has a finite capacity. 
  • If images are not on our local store, we can recall them from CDS (and then view them). 
  • Recalling images in advance of being required is called Pre-fetching. 
  • If PACS knows a patient is returning for an appointment, it will pre-fetch old relevant images (based on a set of rules we create). This happens overnight (usually the previous night). 
  • For CHS, pre-fetching will only apply to radiology appointments, as clinic lists are not linked to PACS. 
  • Recalling images in real time is called Ad-hoc retrievals. 
  • There is a service level for Ad-hoc retrievals (1 Chest xray =10 mins max). 
  • Experience from other centres, regarding Ah-hoc retrievals; suggest retrieval times up to 3 mins, with most being retrieved in under 1 minute. There are however, many variables which can affect this (including no concurrent requests, size of exams, N3 link, other network traffic etc etc). 
  • ALL images we produce (with a few exceptions) will be copied to CDS for Disaster recovery purposes. This will happen over a period of time (usually overnight) to minimise the impact on other systems using the network. 
  • PACS will operate a tide-mark for the local image store. Each night, it will clear (say) 5% of space onthe local store, to make way for new images, the following day.  
  • The images deleted from the store in this way, are be based on a combination of: oldest images + last viewed date. It is not currently possible to set other criteria to remove images from local store (e.g. pt deceased, moved out of the area). 
  • In order to make best use of local storage, we will need to update our policies and procedures, particularly in relation to images sent to CHS from other sites. 

Image Transfers

Exporting images

We have established a number of network links with other Trusts, and by default, image transfers will always take this route.

We have the following network links:

  • Newcastle Hospitals *
  • South Tyneside *
  • Gateshead
  • North Tees *
  • Carlisle
  • Durham *

(* includes associated Hopsitals within Trust)

If there is PACS downtime / network faults, a CD will be burned for urgent image transfers. Please refer to Urgent Image transfer policy.

Where no network link exisit, a CD will be burned.

Importing images

We are usually able to import images from CD direct to PACS. Please refer to the Protocol for Foreign films.  Any requests must be accompanied by the the correct request form (enclosed within the policy, as Appendix A) Occasionally, we do have problems with encrypted images on CD, but wil advise the requestor if this is the case.

If you require images from other Trusts, please contact either the clinical referrer to arrange, or the local Trust PACS team. A list of regional Trust PACS contacts is listed on the PACS dropdown.

Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professional Referral Pathways

Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professional Referral Pathways (NMARP) allow a medic (doctor) to delegate the responsibility of requesting Radiological imaging to a registered nurse/allied health professional, working under their supervision.

To gain access to these pathways, you must undergo relevant training to allow you to safely refer patients for imaging, and to interpret and act upon the subsequent results.

This training MUST include, but is not limited to:

  • Rationale for the pathway,
  • Clinical relevance,
  • Benefits versus risks of the procedure,
  • Meditech V6/ICE order entry training,
  • Ionising radiation (Medical Exposures) Regulations (2000) (IR(ME)R) training (not required for MRI and Ultrasound).

This training MUST be regularly updated, and recorded in your annual appraisal.

 

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