Philips has partnered with Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust to deliver a new ‘cutting-edge’ Interventional Radiology Suite at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford (see photo), in a move that the two organisations say ‘promises a significant boost to patient care, clinical efficiency, and both operational and financial sustainability’.
The suite is equipped with the Philips Azurion 7 guided therapy system, which the multinational says has replaced ‘outdated equipment that was frequently breaking down and causing issues for staff’. Philips said: “With the new technology in place, clinicians can now perform a full range of routine and complex interventional procedures with ease and confidence. This is enabling faster, less invasive, and highly precise, vascular treatment, dramatically improving the patient experience.”
The project was delivered through wht Philips dubs ‘a unique revenue-based financing model’ – developed by the company in partnership with its global financial solutions partner, DLL; this allows the Trust to adopt the technology without requiring upfront capital. Philips said: “The innovative pay-per-use approach provides financial flexibility while maximising return on investment, helping the Trust address financial constraints and continue to modernise its healthcare infrastructure.”
Mark Leftwich, MD at Philips UK & Ireland, said: “The future of healthcare in the UK will be shaped by our collective willingness to embrace innovation – not only in technology, but in the ways we fund and deliver care. Our partnership with Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust will bring this state-of-the-art Interventional Radiology suite to life, and is a strong example of how new financing models and long-term partnerships can help futureproof NHS services, delivering better care to more people.”
Designed in close collaboration with Philips’ hospital design experts and frontline clinical teams, the new suite features a ‘modern, clinically led’ room layout said ‘to enhance workflow, support staff, improve clinical confidence, and maximise space efficiency’.
The Philips Azurion 7 is an ‘EcoDesigned product’, ‘delivering measurable environmental benefits in energy use, materials, and packaging’. At Broomfield Hospital, a 13-year contract with lifecycle management is in place, to ensure that the system remains technologically up to date, operationally secure, and ‘aligned with evolving clinical demands’ – extending its lifecycle by 2-4 years.
