Massive boost for Ipswich health care

A MULTI-million pound project to make the latest diagnostic technology available for patients in East Suffolk gets underway this week at Ipswich Hospital.

A new Cardiac Angiography suite is being built at the hospital which will mean that people who need specialist X-rays of the heart and coronary arteries (angiograms) will be able to have these performed at the Heath Road hospital.

The money to build and equip the new angiography suite, is coming from the national New Opportunities Fund. The latest state-of-the-art equipment will mean that special radiology procedures, such as putting in catheters, will also be able to be carried out.

Dr Norman Irvine, consultant cardiologist and clinical director for medicine at the hospital, said: "The start of building work on this new angiography suite is a major milestone for us in creating a centre of excellence for heart services."

Another state-of-the-art MRI scanner (magnetic resonance imaging) is also being installed at the hospital. Building work to create a new room for this sophisticated scanner has also just begun.

Dr Kanti Karia, clinical director for diagnostic imaging at the hospital, said; "This new scanner will mean that we will be able to treat more people, more quickly and we are delighted that we have received national funding from the NHS Cancer Plan funds to buy and install this second state of the art MRI scanner.

Jane Micheal, service manager, said: "We are asking all our patients, their relatives and friends to please bear with us as. There will inevitably be some noise although the builders and staff are doing their very best to keep any other disruptions to an absolute minimum."

The new MRI scanner should be in place and ready for patients at the beginning of April 2004.

The angiography suite, complete with consulting rooms and four day beds for patients is due to be finished in the Summer 2004.