The League of Friends of
Bexhill Hospital -
Working for the good of
Local patients since 1952
Reg. CIO Charity No 1169175 Bexhill Hospital Holliers Hill Bexhill-on-Sea TN40 2DZ Email info@bexhillhospitalfriends.org.uk
New MRI Scanner Suite preview visit
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League given scanner preview
LEAGUE committee members came away deeply impressed after being given a preview of the district's new MRI scanner project.
Consultant radiologist Dr Justin Harris and site manager Phil Alexandrakis led members of the Bexhill and Hastings leagues around the building erected by East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust at the Conquest Hospital on the evening of May 22nd.
The suite houses the scanner bought as a result of the success of the £1m campaign by the appeal body set up by the Conquest league and a second, £680,000, machine donated by the Bexhill League. The Bexhill machine will be named in memory of the Bexhill league's late chairman, Stuart Earl.
The prefabricated building was erected on site after sections were delivered by a fleet of 17 lorries. The German-built Siemens machines were inserted by crane after sections of metal-clad composite walling were temporarily removed. As staff worked into the evening to meet a tight completion schedule, site manager Phil, of specialist builders Red10 showed a succession of small groups of visitors around the complex, constructed on the west end of the main Conquest building.
For safety reasons, the scanners are housed in separate, copper-lined, rooms, each with a massively-thick copper-lined door. Dr Harris explained that the Hastings-funded scanner has a detachable bed so that, if necessary, patients can undergo diagnosis while under general anaesthetic.
The site manager explained that this room will feature curves instead of corners, a measure which has been shown to reduce claustrophobia. Both machines feature the latest technology which will save patients with complex requirements the need to travel to Brighton or London. Each have a reduced-noise mode for greater patient comfort than the Conquest's existing machine, now long past its “sell-by” date.
The Bexhill-bought machine will save the health trust the present cost of renting a second device. The building features reception area, changing rooms, waiting rooms and consulting rooms in addition to the scanner housing. Installation engineers are working to ensure that the scanners meet exacting safety requirements, Dr Harris is hoping that the new suite will be operational by July 19th.
Consultant radiologist Dr Justin Harris and site manager Phil Alexandrakis led members of the Bexhill and Hastings leagues around the building erected by East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust at the Conquest Hospital on the evening of May 22nd.
The suite houses the scanner bought as a result of the success of the £1m campaign by the appeal body set up by the Conquest league and a second, £680,000, machine donated by the Bexhill League. The Bexhill machine will be named in memory of the Bexhill league's late chairman, Stuart Earl.
The prefabricated building was erected on site after sections were delivered by a fleet of 17 lorries. The German-built Siemens machines were inserted by crane after sections of metal-clad composite walling were temporarily removed. As staff worked into the evening to meet a tight completion schedule, site manager Phil, of specialist builders Red10 showed a succession of small groups of visitors around the complex, constructed on the west end of the main Conquest building.
For safety reasons, the scanners are housed in separate, copper-lined, rooms, each with a massively-thick copper-lined door. Dr Harris explained that the Hastings-funded scanner has a detachable bed so that, if necessary, patients can undergo diagnosis while under general anaesthetic.
The site manager explained that this room will feature curves instead of corners, a measure which has been shown to reduce claustrophobia. Both machines feature the latest technology which will save patients with complex requirements the need to travel to Brighton or London. Each have a reduced-noise mode for greater patient comfort than the Conquest's existing machine, now long past its “sell-by” date.
The Bexhill-bought machine will save the health trust the present cost of renting a second device. The building features reception area, changing rooms, waiting rooms and consulting rooms in addition to the scanner housing. Installation engineers are working to ensure that the scanners meet exacting safety requirements, Dr Harris is hoping that the new suite will be operational by July 19th.
