A NEW computerised tomography (CT) scanner has been unveiled at East Surrey Hospital, Redhill.

The new equipment, which cost £465,900, was paid for largely by the Friends of East Surrey Hospital with a record donation of £374,000. The remainder was raised through legacies and a fund-raising ball.

The machine will dramatically speed up body scans of patients. It takes 64 x-rays at once to create a three-dimensional image to help diagnosis. Examinations will take seconds rather than minutes to perform.

Dr Stephen Gwyther, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust's lead clinician for radiology, said: "The Trust is enormously grateful to the Friends who, through their continued generosity, have made it possible for this sophisticated CT scanner to be added to our radiology equipment.

"It has a much greater capacity than our other two scanners, and means we can give a quicker, more efficient service to our patients, improve diagnosis and begin follow-up treatment earlier. Radiology staff are being trained to operate the new machine which we hope will soon be fully operational."

Richard Burford, Friends chairman, said: "We are delighted to be able to give our largest ever grant to the hospital for this vital piece of equipment, which will be of such a benefit to its patients and the community."

The scanner was unveiled yesterday evening by borough mayor Dorothy Ross-Tomlin, pictured here with consultant radiologist Dr Stephen Gwyther and chairman of the Friends Richard Burford.