League's £110,000 ultrasound gift to Bexhill Hospital

The new GE Logic 9 machine augments the ultrasound scanner bought for the hospital by the League of Friends three years ago.

The league's general committee voted on the spot to buy the new machine when at a trial demonstration in the hospital's radiography department clinical support manager Peter Baker and transonic services manager Claire Parter explained that the first machine was in constant use and more capacity was needed.

Now the new machine is already being used for 20 sessions day.

Peter and Claire invited league chairman Stuart Earl and members of his committee to see the new machine in use yesterday.

Once again, it was Peter who was the subject of a demonstration.

The league members were shown first around his heart and then a kidney,.

Claire pointed out the clearly-defined features of the healthy organs and explained how the machine would have readily defined any abnormalities or irregularities.

Having taken the unusual step of making an on-the-spot decision about the purchase of the scanner, the league had been concerned to see it in use as soon as possible.

The host and hostess explained that when it proved not to be possible to accommodate the machine by converting a radiology department corridor as planned, alternatives considered had included knocking through a wall into the department's image storeroom.

Eventually, a far better solution was found.

The hospital's porters vacated their room in exchange for part of the image storeroom and the scanner now occupies the porter's old room.

The new scanner will be used for a wide range of diagnostic work, ranging from children and expectant mothers to patients from the hospital's Irvine Unit.

For many, the presence of such technology at Bexhill will obviate a journey to the Conquest Hospital at St Leonards.

To show their gratitude, staff had laid on light refreshments for last Thursday's visitors.

Claire explained: "The other scanner is a very good machine but this has so many new advances.

"We can do a greater variety of muscular-skeletal and paediatric work that we couldn't do before."

Using the secure 100 megabyte Sussex Community of Interest (COIN) link, ultrasound images can be transmitted to the patient's GP or to another hospital in seconds.

The speedy system also saves on the cost of the film-and-taxi service previously used.

Peter Baker told the league members: "This machine is a really, really important item.

"Claire has done a fantastic job with her team in getting the waiting list down to three weeks."