Updated
1 December 2025
The Paul Strickland Scanner Centre is an independent healthcare provider based within the grounds of Mount Vernon Hospital in Northwood. The service is co-located with a specialist cancer centre, which forms part of the wider cancer service operated by a local NHS Trust. The centre provides diagnostic imaging services for adults, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT). These services support the diagnosis, staging and monitoring of treatment for cancer and other complex conditions.
The service provides imaging for both NHS and private patients referred by NHS trusts or private clinicians. Around 95% of people using the service are NHS patients. Appointments are planned in line with clinical urgency and patient need, with extended hours and weekend clinics offered during periods of high demand.
We carried out an unannounced inspection on 30 September 2025
This assessment looked at Paul Stricklands Scanner Centre (PSSC), diagnostic imaging services, due to the service having an aged rating. We rated this service as Good.
Updated
6 August 2025
We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of Paul Strickland Scanning Centre on 30 September 2025, due to the service having an aged rating. We inspected 34 quality statements across the five key questions: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.
During the inspection, we spoke to a range of staff in the centre, radiologists, radiographers, physicists, modality leads, admin support staff, and senior leaders.
We spoke with patients and staff on site, reviewed patient and staff feedback. We reviewed patient comment cards and surveys, as well as other data provided by the service following the onsite visit.
The service had last been inspected in December 2018, with a rating of good. The rating of Paul Strickland Scanning Centre remains Good.
The service had a good safety culture. The environment was safe, clean and fit for purpose. The service monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it and delivered effective evidence-based care and treatment. Staff communicated with patients with genuine kindness and compassion and protected patients’ dignity. The service worked to ensure that everyone could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. The service was well-led by leaders who actively engaged with staff and patients.
While the service continued to deliver high-quality care, there were some areas which required support. These included improving administrative training compliance and addressing imaging reporting delays. Leaders had recognised these challenges and implemented action plans focused on recruitment, workflow optimisation and digital improvements.
Paul Strickland Scanner Centre remained a well-led, safe and responsive service that delivered compassionate, inclusive and high-quality diagnostic imaging. The Improvements made since the last inspection reflected the service’s ongoing effort towards learning, equity and excellence in delivering safe, effective and person-centred care.