Hospital Trusts across the Northwest region will soon be able to share patients' radiology images through a new, next generation cloud portal.
The Greater Manchester Diagnostics Network has appointed UK-based cloud consultancy Shaping Cloud to support the modernisation of its regional Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) portal. The PACS portal allows access for clinicians to view images that are stored digitally at Greater Manchester trusts.
Users accessing the new PACS portal will use the Greater Manchester Identity (GMID) platform, which was built in collaboration between Shaping Cloud and Greater Manchester Combined Authority. GMID was created to create stronger and more streamlined wider identity and access management (IAM) across Greater Manchester’s public sector.
The new PACS portal will bring several benefits to patients across the region as this will:
- help speed up test results and treatment when patient care is transferred between clinicians across the Northwest region
- support with ongoing patient care when this is shared between clinicians at more than one organisation
- provide immediate access to images when an urgent clinical opinion is required from a specialist clinician at another organisation
The project replaces an existing portal to deliver a more resilient, scalable, and connected service for clinicians and patients across Greater Manchester and the Northwest.
Once complete, the new PACS portal will provide faster, more secure access to medical imaging and related data, supporting diagnostic collaboration across multiple NHS trusts.
The project will be delivered in two phases, with the first go-live expected in early 2026 and a second phase, broadening out to other healthcare regions, to follow later in the year.
Beth Tumilty, Programme Lead, Greater Manchester Diagnostics Network said:
‘We’re pleased to announce our partnership with Shaping Cloud to bring a new PACS portal to the Northwest region. The new portal will enable all authorised healthcare providers to have on demand access to the most up-to-date information on a patient’s tests and results, enabling better coordination of care across different healthcare settings, more informed decisions about a patient’s care, as well as reducing the need for duplicate tests, leading to improved care.
By working in collaboration with Shaping Cloud, the wider GM Diagnostic teams and neighbouring networks, the PACS portal is a critical enabler of modern diagnostics, providing a connected, quality assured safe environment to ensure patients benefit from timely, accurate diagnoses.’
Helen Gerling, Chief Executive Officer at Shaping Cloud, said:
“We’re delighted to be supporting the Greater Manchester Diagnostics Network on such an important piece of digital infrastructure for the region. Modernising the PACS portal is not just about cloud migration, it’s about enabling faster, smarter access to vital clinical information, while meeting the highest standards of security and interoperability.
“Our team is thoroughly enjoying the challenge of solving the complex identity and access management requirements behind this project and working alongside Sectra and our NHS partners to set a new benchmark for imaging access and management across Greater Manchester and the Northwest.”
When complete, the modernised PACS portal will represent a major step forward in Greater Manchester’s commitment to regional collaboration and world-class digital healthcare.