Hon Tony Ryall
Minister of Health

29 April 2014 Media Statement
Minister launches new scanners at Hawke’s Bay Hospital

Health Minister Tony Ryall today launched two new scanners at the Tom McCormack suite in Hawke’s Bay Hospital which will greatly improve diagnostic services for local patients.

“The new 128-slice CT scanner and NMSPECT scanner are worth $2.5 million and will replace an older CT scanner donated in 2004 by the McCormack family,” says Mr Ryall.

“Hawke’s Bay DHB’s radiology department undertakes over 90,000 examinations every year. The scanning capacity of the older scanner meant that some patients needed to travel out of the region to receive their scans.

“With the introduction of these new scanners, procedures are now able to be completed faster, reducing patient discomfort and enabling more scans to be undertaken per day.

“The new CT scanner also provides significantly more detailed imaging, improving confidence of diagnosis for clinicians. The upgrade in image quality has been described as similar to the transition from standard to high definition television.

“The NMSPECT scanner is a nuclear medicine device which works like an inside-out x-ray. The scanner is able to combine its images with the CT scanner, allowing specialists to learn more about how the body structure looks in the CT scan,” says Mr Ryall.

Mr Ryall says that in addition to providing services closer to home for Hawke’s Bay patients, the additional scanners will also support the DHB to meet the government’s priority for improving waiting times for diagnostic tests.

“Under this government, record numbers of Kiwis are getting elective surgery and first specialist assessments. With our focus now on waiting times for diagnostic tests, I expect these to also improve – particularly with new technology such as these new scanners,” says Mr Ryall.

ENDS

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