What is the West Midlands Imaging Network?

The West Midlands Imaging Network (WMIN) is a membership organisation designed with collaboration at its heart. A membership organisation that will support the delivery of the national imaging strategy.

There are 22 Imaging Networks in the Country and West Midlands Imaging Network is the largest network in England. The average number of Trusts nationally in the networks is 6.5; in WMIN there are 15.

The average number of ICS’s/ICB’s in each network is 2; in WMIN there are 6.

The average population for each network is around 2.5m; West Midlands Imaging Network covers a population of 6.3m.

Nationally (in England) there are 3 specialist hospitals dedicated to world-class orthopaedic care, two of which are in West Midlands Imaging Network, Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Birmingham, and Shropshire’s The Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Nationally there are two stand-alone Women’s hospitals, one of these sits in the West Midlands Imaging Network – Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Nationally there are 6 dedicated standalone children’s hospitals, one of these is in West Midlands Imaging Network – Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

We have some of the largest Trusts in the Country and some of the smallest Trusts. Some of our Trusts serve a largely urban population whilst some are almost entirely rural.

About half of our Trusts are tertiary referral centres for some clinical pathways. Imaging plays a crucial role in the diagnosis, staging, and management of a variety of conditions using a range of ionising and non-ionising radiation modalities. Investigations touch every part of the patient pathway and are a key enabler for effective care.

Why Networks work

Networks are used to bring together stakeholders across traditional professional and geographic boundaries. They work with partners to support a collaborative, networked approach to the planning, design, and delivery of integrated, holistic, person-centered care pathways.

Under the leadership of an independent chair, networks provide strategic leadership and advice to NHS Trusts, ICBs, ICS’s and other partners in relation to the delivery of services, using the most up-to-date evidence base and in line with strategic local, regional, and national NHS priorities.

Our Purpose

The purpose of the West Midlands Imaging Network (WMIN) is to oversee delivery of the recommendations of the National Imaging Strategy, adapted to meet the requirements of West Midlands service users.

This will be achieved by collaborative working across member organisations, supported by a programme team working to maximise the benefits and impact for patients, staff, and services.

Networking allows for better value, better utilisation of capital equipment, faster turnaround times where required, and more opportunities for the workforce to undertake extended roles and advance their professional development.

Networking also helps to reduce variation in practice, enhance workforce opportunities, bring equity to patient access, and even out and reduce costs.

High-level key aims of the programme are to improve service resilience, reduce duplication and use economies of scale to enable the latest technology to be purchased in order to develop imaging service provision. The Network will work to reduce variation in practice, enhance workforce opportunities, and bring equity to patient access.

Imaging plays a crucial role in the diagnosis, staging and management of a variety of conditions using a range of ionising and non-ionising radiation modalities. Investigations touch every part of the patient pathway and is a key enabler for effective care.

The West Midlands Imaging Network is part of the national programme for improvement and development of clinical imaging services. Its intention is to improve access to imaging services, reduce turnaround time and make better use of staff skills and time.