Thousands of people in Torbay and South Devon will receive a faster diagnosis and treatment for conditions including cancer, heart disease and brain and bone problems, thanks to the generosity of Torbay Hospital League of Friends.
The charity fundraisers generously paid for a new state-of-the-art CT scanner, costing £421,695, to replace one of the hospital’s three CT scanners when it reached the end of its life.
A CT scan provides a detailed diagnostic image of inside the body, including bones, muscles, fat, organs and blood vessels, to allow clinicians to diagnose treat and support their patients who need urgent care.
Around 40,000 CT scans are carried out across Torbay and South Devon every year and the scanners play a vital role in helping to speed up the time people are waiting to be seen and diagnosed for a range of conditions or need follow-up care.
The scanner is one of three used by Torbay Hospital’s radiology department and when the previous scanner, which had been in use for 16 years, needed to be replaced, the Torbay Hospital League of Friends offered to pay for a new one.
The new Canon system uses cutting-edge technology and significantly improves diagnostic quality and reduces radiation exposure to patients. The new scanner can also be used to perform biopsies, drainages, injections and gated imaging to monitor and produce detailed images of a patient’s heart.
Tim Simpson, Radiology and Imaging Directorate Manager from Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust said: “We know how worrying it can be to be waiting for a diagnosis of cancer or another condition, and diagnostic imaging plays a vital role in helping our clinicians to support our patients to get the fast care they might need.
“We have a rolling programme to replace our CT scanners at Torbay Hospital when they come to the end of their life, and thanks to the generosity of Torbay Hospital League of Friends we now have a new state-of-the-art CT scanner in our radiology department to support thousands of people through injury, illness, and recovery. We are so incredibly grateful for this generous act of kindness.”
Martin Tucker, Torbay Hospital League of Friends said: “We are absolutely delighted and immensely proud to be able to fund this new CT scanner for the Radiology Department at Torbay Hospital.”
“Our mission has always been to support patient care in our community and knowing that this incredible piece of equipment will help thousands of people receive faster and more accurate diagnoses is truly rewarding. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and supporters, we are making a real difference in the lives of patients across Torbay and South Devon.”
The scanner was installed last month but was officially unveiled at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday 11 June at Torbay Hospital.
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