Two new clinicians for radiology have joined the GIRFT programme, working to reduce waiting lists and ensure radiology services in England offer high quality, efficient care.
Laurence Ginder, a consultant musculoskeletal and general radiologist at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, is the new clinical lead for the workstream, replacing Giles Maskell OBE who stood down in March. Suzanne Wakely, a consultant radiologist at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, is the new clinical advisor.
Together, they will take forward actions informed by GIRFT’s recent review of Imaging Networks, helping to clinically interpret and diagnose data to understand the challenges faced in the system and, using an MDT approach, identify solutions and best practice to help optimise resources.
They will also be working collaboratively with stakeholders such as the NHS England Diagnostic Transformation Programme and the Royal College of Radiologists, to ensure ongoing implementation of the national recommendations set out in the GIRFT national specialty report for radiology (2020).
And they will be working closely with Alex Barnacle, GIRFT clinical lead for interventional radiology (IR), who is developing, piloting and implementing measures which can improve the provision and delivery of IR services nationally.
Laurence, who is also associate medical director at his trust, undertakes general imaging alongside specialist MSK work, and has a clinical interest in the imaging of haematological conditions.
He previously served as regional clinical lead for imaging at NHS England for the East and West Midlands, providing strategic clinical leadership across regional imaging services.
He said:
“GIRFT provides a powerful framework that brings together data, clinical insight and collaboration to drive meaningful and sustainable improvement. I’m really looking forward to working with colleagues across the country to build on the excellent work of the GIRFT radiology team, reducing unwarranted variation in radiology services, sharing best practice, and supporting teams to deliver safe, high quality diagnostics for patients.”
Suzanne has worked at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as a consultant since 2006, specialising in body imaging including gastrointestinal and genito-urinary imaging.
She has a longstanding interest in quality improvement and has successfully led multiple improvement projects in her trust, delivering improvements in ways of working across all stages of the patient pathway in radiology.
She is currently the clinical director for diagnostic imaging (data and digital innovation) in her trust, providing clinical leadership for development of digital straight-to-test (STT) pathways.
She said:
“I’m excited to join the excellent GIRFT radiology team and to have an opportunity to contribute to further clinically led, data driven improvements within radiology services. Radiology is such an important component of delivering safe and effective care to patients. I look forward to supporting colleagues across the country to deliver real improvements and build on past successes.”
Professor Tim Briggs, GIRFT programme lead and NHS England National Director for Clinical Improvement, Elective Recovery and UEC, said:
"Radiology is vital to almost every specialty and every part of the NHS, and is pivotal to our ability to provide high quality, effective and timely treatment and care to patients. I am delighted to have the considerable expertise of Laurence and Suzanne in the GIRFT clinical team, helping us continue our drive to unlock substantial improvement in radiology and across patients’ treatment pathways.”
