29 November 2006

Minister inspects CT scanner at Shellharbour Hospital

More than 1000 patients have accessed the new on-site CT scanner at Shellharbour Hospital, NSW Minister for Health John Hatzistergos said today.

CT (computed tomography) scans, also called CAT scans, use special X-ray equipment to obtain cross-section images from different angles around a patient's body, to assist diagnosis.

Inspecting the $800,000 scanner with Member for Illawarra Marianne Saliba, Member for Kiama Matt Brown and Labor candidate for Shellharbour Lylea McMahon, Mr Hatzistergos said doctors at the hospital are now able to diagnose life-threatening conditions such as stroke and cardiovascular disease much faster.

"Patients presenting to Shellharbour Hospital emergency department no longer need to be transferred to Wollongong Hospital for CT scans," he said.

"This is a significant boost to the hospital's medical imaging and diagnostic capability and provides a new direction in patient care."

Mr Brown said previously around 70 patients per week were being transferred from Shellharbour Hospital to Wollongong Hospital for CT scans - a trip requiring a nurse escort.

"Since the CT scanner began operating in June, the hospital is providing a much quicker on-site diagnosis and also freeing up nurses to remain on the ward," he said.

"It means that it now only takes approximately 15 minutes for patients to have a CT scan.

"This is much more convenient for patients, but even more importantly it improves patient care, providing fast information needed by our doctors in making often complex diagnosis."

Ms Saliba said the scanner is part of a $2 million upgrade for medical imaging in the Illawarra, boosting capabilities at not only Shellharbour, but also Wollongong and Shoalhaven hospitals.

"The upgrade has doubled the capacity for CT scans across the hospitals, increasing the number of machines from the previous two located at Wollongong and Shoalhaven to four machines across the three hospitals," she explained.

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au