Torbay Hospital League of Friends generously funds CT scanner.

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.

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.

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.”

The scanner was installed last month but was officially unveiled at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday June 11 at Torbay Hospital.