Hinckley Times

New X-ray machine is up and running at town hospital

- NICHOLAS DAWSON nicholas.dawson@reachplc.com

PATIENTS in Hinckley can get their X-rays done at a town hospital again as a new facility has opened.

The X-ray department at Hinckley and District Hospital, in Mount Road, was forced to suddenly close in September 2019 as the 27-year-old kit had become unsafe to use.

But now a new machine has been installed where patients with a referral from their doctor can get their scans.

Helen Mather, director of

Leicester, Leicesters­hire and Rutland Alliance, said: “The new £200,000 room is a state of the art, fully motorised, digital X-ray unit.

“It gives excellent image quality, low radiation doses and enables patients to be seen more quickly.”

Funding for the project came from University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, ahead of an £8 million package of improvemen­ts for the town’s health services.

Proposed upgrades include kitting out Hinckley Health Centre, which is next to

Hinckley and District Hospital, with X-ray and ultrasound services.

Ms Mather said: “The new X-ray equipment has been installed in the same location as the previous X-ray facility, but it can be readily transferre­d to its proposed new location in Hinckley Health Centre as and when appropriat­e.

“We look forward to welcoming patients to the new facility and receiving their feedback.”

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council unanimousl­y called for the facility to return when it closed.

Lib Dem councillor Michael Mullaney organised a petition for the service to be reinstated.

He said: “I’m delighted that we have these essential services returned to Hinckley.

“An area with the population the size of Hinckley, Burbage and the neighbouri­ng villages deserves to have an X-ray facility.

“A big thank you to everyone in the area who signed the petition to get X-ray facilities back in the town.

“The huge response really helped. And thanks to all the other councillor­s who backed the campaign.

“The current health crisis with coronaviru­s just emphasises the need for high quality NHS services in local communitie­s.

“I’m pleased that at this dark time there is at least some positive news with the return of X-ray facilities.”

Dr Luke Evans, MP for Bosworth, said: “I’m delighted that, at long last, the new x-ray facilities at Hinckley are open, reinstatin­g a service that has been highly valued for many years.

“At a time of such difficult news for the health service it is brilliant to hear that other important work is getting finished too.

“This was a campaign which I fought on during the General Election and since becoming an MP, including speaking to the Health Secretary directly.

“My thanks go to West Leicesters­hire CCG, University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust and the Government for delivering this important project and to everyone who has campaigned to make it a reality.

“Well done to all involved.”

 ??  ?? Hinckley and District Hospital in Mount Road. Picture: Google Street View
Hinckley and District Hospital in Mount Road. Picture: Google Street View

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