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One digital x-ray and imaging system now national

All health boards and hospitals in Wales are now using one common system for digital x-rays, scans and images.

Cardiff and Vale is the final health board to move over to the NHS Wales' picture archiving and communications system (PACS). This means all seven Welsh health boards now use the mainstream imaging service, supplied by Fujifilm through a framework contract.

PACS technology allows images such as x-rays and scans to be stored electronically and viewed on screen, so that doctors and other health professionals can view and analyse them.

Digital imaging has been used in Welsh hospitals for many years and has improved the speed and effectiveness of diagnosis. Introduction of a common imaging solution avoids problems in compatibility between different imaging systems, ensuring the technology's full benefits are realised.

Andrew Griffiths, Director NHS Wales Informatics Service, said: "I am very pleased to see the NHS Wales imaging solution go live in Cardiff and Vale, which is home to our largest acute hospital. 

"Use of a common compatible service delivers significant savings, and will make it easier to share images between hospitals," Griffiths adds. "This is a milestone in delivering a mainstream PACS service for Wales."