£4.4m upgrade brings new x-ray equipment to north Wales hospitals

Hospitals across north Wales are set to receive new x-ray equipment as part of a £4.4 million Welsh Government investment aimed at improving image quality, reliability and patient safety.

The funding will see older machines replaced with modern digital radiology systems at Colwyn Bay Hospital and Ysbyty Glan Clwyd. The updated technology is designed to produce clearer images, expose patients to lower radiation doses and make the process easier for NHS staff through automated positioning features.

New fluoroscopy systems will also be installed at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and Ysbyty Gwynedd. The technology is used for reviewing swallowing action and supporting procedures such as biopsies and drainages.

Sharper images

Health officials say the upgraded machines will deliver sharper images and greater reliability, enabling more patients to be scanned.

In addition, mammography units at Wrexham Maelor and Ysbyty Gwynedd will be replaced. These systems are vital for detecting breast cancer and other conditions and will provide more accurate results to aid early diagnosis.

Breakdown of the investment includes:

Digital x-ray: Colwyn Bay Hospital (£739,000) and Ysbyty Glan Clwyd (£463,000)

Fluoroscopy: Wrexham Maelor (£913,000) and Ysbyty Gwynedd (£894,000)

Mammography: Wrexham Maelor (£731,000) and Ysbyty Gwynedd (£675,000)

Diagnostic capacity

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Jeremy Miles said the investment reflected the government’s commitment to improving diagnostic capacity: “These new machines will be easier for staff to use and provide them with better tools to help diagnose a wide range of conditions, including cancer,” he said. “We are ensuring hospitals all over Wales have the equipment they need to see, diagnose and treat more people, as we speed up diagnosis and reduce waiting times.”

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s deputy executive medical director, Jim McGuigan, welcomed the funding.

He said: “It will help our staff provide a more comprehensive and efficient service, through the use of improved technologies,” he said. “We all have the same goal of reducing waiting times for diagnosis and treatment. This new equipment will help us on that journey.”