Taupō Hospital officially opens new CT scanner

Taupō Hospital medical imaging technologist Kelly Dunphy with the new Canon Prime SP CT Scanner. Photo / Supplied

Lakes DHB now has a CT scanner at Taupō Hospital with the hope it will provide more equitable health outcomes for all.

The scanner was officially unveiled with a ceremony yesterday.

Demand for CT scans has increased steadily in the last five years as forecast. The siting of the second CT scanner at Taupō Hospital will provide a valuable diagnostic resource to the southern part of Lakes DHB.

Radiology Department acting service manager Kelly Beckett says CT examinations can help health professionals make clinical decisions by providing access to radiological clinical reports.

She says Taupō Hospital now has an excellent, stable medical workforce of rural health specialists supported by visiting medical teams from Rotorua Hospital.

"I'd like to acknowledge and thank all the staff who have been involved in the successful implementation," Kelly says.

"Placement of a CT scanner in Taupō will improve access to high technology imaging to our vulnerable Māori and rural populations. Currently, many of these people are unable to or simply cannot make the long journey to Rotorua.

"A CT scanner in Taupō Hospital will support equity of outcomes for Māori and rural populations."

A second CT scanner also means the majority of residents in the southern Lakes communities can have their CTs done at Taupō Hospital rather than needing to go through to Rotorua. This will also reduce the demand on the scanner at Rotorua Hospital.

The CT scanner has a capital cost of about $1.4 million.

Together with new staff recruited at Taupō, the Rotorua Radiology team will provide the support to ensure that the scanner is made operational as soon as it is commissioned.

Lakes DHB chief executive Nick Saville-Wood says the new CT scanner is a further step towards ensuring residents in the southern Lakes area can access health care closer to home.

The DHB continues to progress its One Service Two Sites strategy to ensure that Taupō is well supported from Rotorua and that increased services are being provided out of the Taupō Hospital site that are clinically appropriate to deliver there.

"In the past year, Taupō Hospital has seen significant investment in an upgraded chemotherapy service, the introduction of the echo cardiogram tests and ultrasounds, as well as extended outpatient appointments.

"It is worth noting that a number of these initiatives were made possible by the generous donations and support received from the Taupō Hospital and Health Society for which we are very grateful.

"The CT Scanner is the next vital addition to increasing capability and access for our southern Lakes rohe."