Petition handed in as X-ray to make a return
A POPULAR petition calling for the return of X-ray facilities to Hinckley has been handed in to the borough council.
The cause had well over 2,000 names asking for the department to be returned, after it was closed at Hinckley and District Hospital as the kit had become unsafe to use.
Bosworth Liberal Democrats created the petition and the group handed it in at the full Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council meeting.
It was recently announced that funding had been secured to re-instate X-ray facilities in the town, with money from the University
Hospitals of Leicester capital expenditure programme to pay for the machines.
Councillor Stuart Bray, the leader of the council, said: “I am delighted to hear that funding for this key facility has been secured.
“This is a key facility for residents that all of us were keen to reinstate in Hinckley as soon as practically possible.
“I’m grateful to our colleagues at West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), the University Hospitals of Leicester and the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Alliance, who provide planned care services at Hinckley and District Hospital for their work in bringing about a solution to this difficult issue.”
The borough council had previously offered to loan the funds or lease the equipment, after councillors unanimously called for the return of the facility soon after it closed
Residents currently have to travel to Coalville or Glenfield for their X-rays.
The move will be in advance of an £8 million commitment made by the NHS to upgrade Hinckley’s health facilities, including kitting out Hinckley Health Centre, which is next to the hospital, with X-ray/ultrasound services.
A spokesman for the CCG said: “We now need to go through a short process of planning and approval through the CCG board and with other partners.
“This will give us the timetable for undertaking the necessary internal building works and installing the X-ray and equipment, which we can then inform the public of.
“We are committed to continuing to update people on our plans and further briefings will follow.”
Helen Mather, director of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Alliance, previously said it would cost £250,000 to replace the service.
She told a health scrutiny committee meeting at the county council that bosses tried to keep the unit going, importing kit from around the world to sustain the facility.
Radiographers were risking injury as the X-ray tube they would move into place to produce the image was seizing up because of its age.
Bosworth Conservative parliamentary candidate, Dr Luke Evans has welcomed the news.
Dr Evans, himself a GP, recently raised the issue with the Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock, and updated him on proposals being put forward by the CCG.
Commenting, Dr Luke Evans, said: “It is fantastic news that the CCG, working with the trust has found the funds to reinstate the X-ray facilities and not require a loan from the council to do so.
“The funding boosts given to the University Hospitals of Leicester from this Conservative Government is exactly the reason why the money is there.
“This is a great result Hinckley and the area.” for