AFTER more than 12 months of campaigning, Hunter New England Health (HNEH) will purchase a brand new Computerised Tomography (CT) Scanner to be included as part of the Inverell District Hospital redevelopment.
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Announced by Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall, the important imaging machine will be located in the new hospital building.
Hospital redevelopment advocate Bob Bensley said having a public CT scanner would provide great benefit to Inverell patients, in particular the elderly.
"For years patients have had to be transferred out of Inverell for scans at times when they suffer injury or have a fall," Mr Bensley said.
"This outcome means residents will have 24/7 access to a CT scanner, in particular on weekends, without having to be transferred to Armidale for imaging or having to wait until the private provider is open on Monday.
"Transporting patients places extra burden on services like local paramedics, diverting them away from town where they are needed most."
Mr Marshall said the multi-million-dollar investment in the CT scanner, and staff to operate it, fulfilled the community's wishes about the $60 million hospital redevelopment.
"This is a great outcome for the future of health services in the Inverell district.
"Over the past 12 months I have been working with Hunter New England Local Health CEO Michael Di Rienzo to ensure a CT scanning service would be available to the community as part of the new hospital.
"I'm delighted that this service will be provided at the hospital, with the required infrastructure for the CT scanner to be delivered as part of Stage 1 - the new hospital building.
"Results like this don't just happen and I thank local advocate Bob Bensley for his continued campaigning on this issue and ensuring Inverell has the best possible health service which will service the community's needs into the future."
Mr Marshall said today also marked a milestone for of the redevelopment, with the roof of the new building completed.
"Stage one has officially reached a new height with the construction of the new hospital's roof now complete," he said.
Stage one is expected to be complete by mid-2020.