Torbay Hospital

South Devon Healthcare is a medium sized acute NHS Foundation Trust which provides an extensive range of medical services for the local community of 270,000, which is continuing to grow.   In the summer months the population increases by up to 100,000 visitors, and approximately 25% of the population is over 65.   The Trust catchment area extends to 300 square miles and the Trust manages the District General Hospital in Torquay (Torbay Hospital) with around 500 acute beds, and the area’s 9 community hospital which have approximately 180 in-patient beds and are managed by the PCT’s.    Most sub-specialties are on site, with the renal medicine service provided from Exeter, cardiac surgery and neurosurgery from Plymouth.

Torbay Hospital is ideally situated in the town of Torquay, famed for its sandy beaches and water-sports. For those who prefer dry land, Dartmoor is close by and can be viewed from some of Radiology’s windows! The cities of Exeter and Plymouth are located approximately 18 and 35 miles away.  

The Radiology Department

The radiology department is staffed by 12 consultant radiologists providing a full range of diagnostic and interventional procedures. We undertake around 160500 radiological investigations per year and individual radiologists have sub-specialty interests covering all areas including nuclear medicine, interventional and musculo-skeletal radiology.   

The Radiology Directorate is well known for its successful 7-day radiology service as well as its previous close involvement with the Cancer Services Collaborative. The Trust is committed to modernisation and is about to invest heavily in the Radiology department, with the purchase this year of new additional CT and replacement MR scanners.  

Torbay Hospital and the outlying community hospitals went live with PACS in September 2006. The organisation of workload from the outset has resulted in the timely reporting of all examinations without any backlog ever developing. This system of PACS reporting allocation has been presented at national conferences.

The department has already met the 6 week waiting list target and is now working towards a no wait service.