Glamorgan Gazette

NHS’s £25m tech upgrade

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MORE than £25m is being invested in new imaging equipment in the Welsh NHS to help speed up the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other diseases.

The Welsh Government has confirmed the funding will be used to upgrade “ageing” technology and equipment, including MRI and CT scanners, and increase the resilience and reliabilit­y of diagnostic equipment available to the NHS in Wales.

The funding includes £3.1m for an upgrade of MRI and fluoroscop­y room, providing x-ray imaging at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend.

With many people unable to attend hospitals for imaging and diagnostic appointmen­ts during the pandemic, waiting times have increased – with more than half a million currently on an NHS waiting list for treatment.

According to latest figures, 99,210 patients in Wales were waiting for a diagnostic test in March 2021, a 34.3% increase when compared to 12 months earlier. Cancer services will receive a significan­t boost, with new investment in CT scanners, gamma cameras, and MRI and fluoroscop­y x-ray imaging rooms.

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