X-tra special radiology unit opens at Blandford Hospital

Patients will benefit from state-of-the-art new X-ray facilities following the completion of a major revamp project at Blandford Community Hospital.

Dorset HealthCare has invested £250,000 to transform the hospital’s radiology department, installing new digital X-ray equipment and creating a dedicated clinical ultrasound room.

This will allow X-ray and ultrasound examinations to run independently, rather than having to share the same space, and offer a quicker, more comfortable experience for patients.

The technologies provide clinicians with detailed internal images of the body which are vital in diagnosing or treating a wide range of conditions.

Iain Luscombe, Dorset HealthCare’s Radiology Manager, said: “The new digital X-ray unit produces greater image quality, reduced radiation dose and faster examination times. The expertise of Devon Medical Turnkey Solutions has also redesigned the lay-out of the department, providing an enhanced x-ray and ultrasound service for our patients.”

Construction work took three months to complete, with the X-ray unit provided by Konica Minolta. The company’s Field Sales Manager, David Halfpenny, said:

“The new room is more user-friendly, offering a flexible solution for all the imaging needs of the department but also an increase in efficiency. The lay-out provides more space to image patients, and also makes it easier to deal with bed-bound patients requiring X-ray.”

The opening of the new-look department was attended by Karine Litton, a retired radiographer who worked there when the previous X-ray unit was installed 14 years ago.