Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust installs new digital X-ray room at Erith District Hospital

A new digital X-ray room was proudly unveiled at Erith District Hospital on Wednesday 4 September.
 
Installed by Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust (DGT) with building works funded by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, the new purpose-built suite replaces an ageing non digital X-ray machine that was housed within the WWII Erith ‘bunker’ and is now situated within Erith District Hospital’s Outpatients department – the same building as the urgent care centre (UCC). It features an X-ray room, waiting room and change cubicles.
 
This new plain film X-ray unit will provide state of art imaging for patients within Bexley and Dartford. It emits a low radiation dose and high image quality. As well as improving patient flow within the UCC, GP and outpatient cohort, the fully mechanised new unit will result in improved musculoskeletal health amongst staff.
 
This fantastic development is the result of a yearlong collaborative project between DGT and Erith District Hospital’s proprietor, Oxleas. It is important to recognise that this is the end of an era, as the bunker, a listed building, is very much loved by the staff and patients within the area, but Oxleas will endeavour to repurpose this in a different guise, so it can still be enjoyed by all.
 
Thank you to Oxleas, the equipment supplier and project stakeholders that collaborated with us on the project and who were able to join us at Wednesday’s grand opening. A special shout out to Anne Cooper, who worked in the Erith bunker from 1976 -2002 as a radiographer, who came and shared her experiences with everyone on the day.