Shropshire MRI scanners 'are oldest in the country'
New scanners used to diagnose a range of medical conditions are urgently needed to replace machines that are more than 11 years old, health bosses have said.
Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Hospitals Trust's current MRI scanners are "not able to provide a reliable service" due to multiple breakdowns.
At a board meeting of the trust, officials approved plans to buy two new MRI scanners in order to replace their old machines which do not use the latest technology.
An MRI scanner can be used to examine almost any part of the body and the results of a scan can be used to help diagnose conditions, plan treatments, and assess how effective previous treatment has been.
SaTH is planning to spend £1.7 million to buy two new scanners and the League of Friends of the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital is running an appeal to buy an additional scanner to help with demand.
Simon Wright said: "Hospitals have a sum of capital every year they can use for medical equipment or upgrading the buildings.
"We have about £8.5m a year we are able to spend.
"We are going to spend about £1.7m of that allocation on the two new MRI scanners and our wonderful League of Friends have agreed to fundraise to purchase a third unit and we are hugely grateful.
"In support of that next year I will be climbing three volcanoes in support of the appeal.
"I think the MRI scanners we have are the oldest in the country.
"There are essential pieces of equipment which we use every day."
Dr Edwin Borman, medical director at SaTH, said the new scanners would improve patient outcome.
He added: "The new scanners do stuff that was unimaginable five years ago.
"We are currently flogging our MRI scanners as hard as we can and one day they will fail.
"That will mean we will not be able to do a huge amount of things. Appointments will be cancelled and there will be a delay in diagnosis."
