Scanner showing its worth already

MORE people will go through the hospital's new multi-million pound MRI and CT scanners in one day than were sent to Jersey for similar tests in a week. Speaking at yesterday's opening of the new imaging suite at the PEH, head of radiology Jan Coleman said that where formerly between 10 and 15 people had gone to Jersey to be scanned in a week, 10 to 12 would now be seen on-island in one day.

'Patients won't have to go off-island,' she said. 'That's a big thing for everybody.'

She added that Guernsey had been too far behind Jersey, pointing out that its 10-year-old scanner was being replaced.

MRI superintendent Andrew Dunglison said, 'A normal district hospital wouldn't necessarily have a scanner as high tech as this as there would be the option of travelling elsewhere if your local hospital couldn't precisely meet your needs.

'But this scanner has extra functionality and we will get higher quality images from it.' He added that with the scanner's larger bore - the section through which the body passes during the scanning process - it would provide a more comfortable experience for patients. We've wanted this for years,' he said.

So successful was a BBC Guernsey appeal to raise funds for the equipment that the estimated target of £750,000 was beaten by a further £70,000 - a total of £820,000 being raised in just four months.

That extra money, said deputy Health minister David Grut, had allowed it to buy a machine with a higher specification.

And Vale brothers Tom and Joe Mahy, who alone raised £3,500 for the appeal by pedal-carting a distance of 23 miles around the island, unveiled a plaque at yesterday's opening.

'Our mum had to have an MRI regularly as she has Meniere's disease, but it meant that she had to travel to Jersey to have a scan and sometimes, when she was ill, she wouldn't be able to,' said 13-year-old Tom, who, like his brother, goes to St Sampson's School.

'It's important because now people like her who might need to have a scan quickly can have it done in Guernsey,' he said.

The boys said they stood outside Alliance for three days and the Co-op for one day raising money.

Since its installation, 67 patients have been through the scanner, with no problems reported by staff so far.