A major upgrade to X-ray facilities at a hospital in Cornwall will begin this week, which should eventually benefit both patients and staff.  

Staff at Newquay Hospital have said that the new X-ray equipment will allow them to see and treat more patients faster.

The new digital radiography equipment used X-ray-sensitive plates to directly capture data during patient examinations. The data is then transferred to a computer system without the need for a cassette. This will speed up the process and will produce higher-quality images.

Falmouth Packet: X-ray at Bodmin Community Hospital X-ray at Bodmin Community Hospital (Image: NHS Kernow)Senior radiographer Suzanne Grice-Renault who has been in the role for 40 years, explains why the upgrade will benefit both staff and patients. She said: “The upgrade is much needed.

“We will upgrade the whole room and patients will be seen in a very timely manner. It will take a matter of minutes, rather than ten to 15 minutes per patient.

“At the moment, we get 25 to 30 patients a day coming through here. Other sites where the new equipment has been installed are seeing up to 50 patients. It is a win-win for everybody.”

Newquay’s Minor Injury Unit will remain open throughout the upgrade; however, x-rays will not be available.

The x-ray room at Newquay will close today (Wednesday, January 10) for up to eight weeks while installation work takes place.

Patients are being asked if feel they need an x-ray to visit other minor injury units in Cornwall including Camborne Redruth Community Hospital, St Austell Community Hospital and Bodmin Community Hospital.