Basildon Hospital to get £1m scanner

The equipment will improve the hospital's reputation for cancer care, reduce waiting lists and mean patients no longer have to make the journey to Southend for their tests.

The equipment is able to monitor the disease and help doctors decide how to treat it.

The cash hand-out from National Lottery money also ends the hospital's headache of trying to raise the money - around £1 million - by itself.

Pat Trinnaman, head of communications at the hospital, said: "It is absolutely wonderful news for the people of Basildon and Thurrock. We currently share the scanner based at Southend Hospital and we were looking to raise £1 million - including installation costs."

As more and more doctors refer patients for MRI scans, the shared Southend-based equipment - bought following an appeal by This Is Essex partner the Echo - is proving increasingly inadequate.

Ms Trinnaman said: "We had recognised that we needed our own MRI scanner and have been exploring ways of getting one for some time."

Fundraising was one possibility, she said, as using money from the medical equipment budget would mean many other purchases would have to wait. But it could have taken many years to raise that sort of money.

Ms Trinnaman said: "This means we can have one sooner.

"But it won't be a matter of weeks because the equipment will need a specially-constructed room."

The money comes from handouts totalling £150 million from the New Opportunities Fund, which distributes National Lottery grants for health projects.

Also included are two new ultrasound machines for the breast screening unit based at Southend Hospital.

Announcing the handouts, Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "Cancer casts its long shadow over almost every family in the land. There is no bigger priority for the people of Essex than health - and no bigger concern than cancer."

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