We are Cobalt Health (Cobalt), a medical charity established in 1964 with the key goal to deliver improvements in clinical diagnosis and treatments and help people affected by cancer, dementia and other conditions.
Each year we provide diagnostic imaging for over 160,000 patients from our imaging centres in Cheltenham and Birmingham, as well as offering mobile MRI, CT and PET/CT scanners that support NHS hospitals and other medical facilities across the UK.
We are the leading providers of lung cancer screening services in the UK — using ultra-low-dose CT, we work in partnership with the NHS in many community locations to ensure all patients have the scans and treatment needed.
Our imaging centres house the latest technology designed to deliver superior image quality, improve patient comfort, and enable shorter scanning times. By working with leading experts in the field, we invest in cutting-edge technology with the aim of supporting and participating in local, national and international research.
We also work closely with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham to deliver specialist research imaging for the Institute of Translational Medicine. By delivering a diverse training and education programme for medical professionals, we aim to enhance their professional development.
A diagnostic scan is a type of test ordered by medical professionals to help them to diagnose patients’ conditions, check how effective certain treatments are and plan appropriate treatment. The different types of diagnostic scans we offer are MRI, PET/CT, CT, X-ray and Ultrasound.
We provide mobile MRI, CT, and PET/CT services for hire. Our fleet of modern, low-dose CT scanners can be equipped with supporting units including reception, waiting and consultation areas. Our modern mobile 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla MRI scanners also provide mobile services to NHS Trusts throughout the UK.
The lung cancer screening programme forms part of the NHS Long Term Plan to improve early diagnosis and survival for those diagnosed with cancer in the UK.
It targets those most at risk of lung cancer and will initially work with CCGs who have some of the highest rates of mortality from lung cancer.
People aged over 55 years old but less than 75 years old may be invited to participate in lung cancer screening. Those that have ever smoked will be eligible for a lung health check.
Cobalt’s story begins in 1964 when Dr Fred Hanna founded The Cobalt Unit Appeal Fund to raise money for a machine to treat cancer and a facility to house it.
The Cobalt units were used to deliver therapy to eliminate cancer cells.
The Cobalt Cancer Prevention and Early Detection campaign for the Three Counties was launched.
Whole body x-ray scanner for diagnosing cancer and other diseases was provided to the Oncology Unit at Cheltenham general hospital.
The Gloucestershire Breast Screening Service was established with Cobalt providing both the accommodation. The first mobile screening unit was purchased.
Mobile MRI service was Launched with three units. The first 1.5 Tesla mobile MRI in Europe. £765,000 raised for Advanced Treatment Machine for the Cheltenham General Hospital Oncology Centre.
2009 – In support of a campaign to raise £5.1 million for an integrated breast service with state-of-the-art equipment.
2011 – £1m was raised for a high-definition CT scanner for Cheltenham General Hospital in order to improve scanning times and image quality.
2014 – Cobalt’s 50th anniversary! A new mobile scanner and cutting-edge PET/CT scanner were purchased with raised funds for use at Cheltenham Imaging Centre.
2016 – The launch of the ITM Imaging Centre – A virtual research service for the Institution of Translational Medicine at QE Hospital Birmingham.
2019 – The launch of the first UK Lung Cancer Screening Service. Providing earlier diagnosis and better outcomes.
2020 – Targeted Lung Health Checks for Thurrock begin as Cobalt’s COVID-safe CT scanner is available to patients at risk of lung cancer.
2021 – The first imaging service in the UK to implement Innovision, an in-bore infotainment system that transforms the MRI patient experience.
Supporting the Lung Health Check programme by providing low-dose CT scans to communities such as Sutton, Hull, London, Kirklees
2022 – Once again accredited with the Quality Standard for Imaging (QSI).
Cobalt is accredited with ISO 9001:2015 for its Quality Management System and ISO 14001:2015 for its Environmental Management System, both of which demonstrate its achievements and commitment to consistent improvement in these areas.
Supporting the local NHS by providing an imaging centre at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
Cobalt becomes the first mobile CT scanning provider in the UK to install the new Medrad Centargo, a CT scanning contrast media injector.
Invested £2.6m in a new Siemens Biograph Vision digital PET/CT and the expansion of its PET/CT department.
Cobalt invests £2.6m in a new digital PET/CT scanner and the expansion of its department.
This allows the charity to keep up with the growing demand for PET/CT imaging and meet the demand for scanning patients within five days of receiving a patient referral.
2024 Cobalt launched a new CT and MRI Community Diagnostic Centre in Gloucester, in partnership with Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
This new facility offers an extra 80,000 diagnostic appointments a year.
The Institute of Translational Medicine is a joint venture with Birmingham Health Partners.
It provides a high-quality imaging research service using a 3.0 Tesla Siemens MRI scanner with enhanced research capabilities.
