THE Royal Hampshire County Hospital officially opened a new chapter.
Eighteen months after an MRI scanner was destroyed in a devastating fire, dignitaries were at the hospital to mark the official opening of the new MRI unit.
The MRI and two CT scanners lost in 2011 were replaced with a state-of-the-art £800,000 machine.
Around 50 people watched Winchester and Chandler’s Ford MP Steve Brine unveil a plaque, including the Mayor of Winchester Cllr Ernie Jeffs, firemen who attended the blaze at the original unit, and Western Primary schoolgirls Kitty Martin and Daisy Cole, both 12, who were recognised for their cake sale which raised £130 for the unit.
In addition to the MRI scanner, the new building houses a CT scanner which provides more detailed images than standard X-rays.
The opening was the culmination of a £10m project to provide cutting-edge scanning equipment and a building to house it, as well as upgraded fire protection.
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