New X-ray department opened at West Berkshire Community Hospital thanks to multi-trust effort

A new X-ray department has been opened at West Berkshire Community Hospital in Thatcham.

The new Alston Imaging Suite was opened at the hospital by Rob Tayton, of the Newbury and Thatcham Hospital Building Trust, and Richard Alexander, of the Alston Trust, last Friday (December 13).

The facility includes a new mammogram room, a DEXA scanner room - funded by the WBCH League of Friends - as well as two new ultrasound rooms, which will come into use from January.

The hospital is now a diagnostic hub for West Berkshire, meaning it can carry out checks, scans and tests to allow patients to be seen quicker and closer to home.

Mr Tayton explained that over the past seven years, the Building Trust and other charities, including the Cancer Care Trust and League of Friends, had contributed over £8m to develop facilities at the hospital, such as the cancer unit and renal unit.

And the imaging department is another example of charities working with the NHS to provide facilities for the local population, he said.

“Without the generous donation from the Alston Trust, this facility would never have been provided,” he added.

“We are very lucky to have such a wonderful community hospital near us with so much diagnostic equipment.”

Mr Tayton also thanked the Alston Trust, the Royal Berkshire Hospital, the League of Friends and everyone else who helped to provide the facility.

The new department is fully staffed and much of the equipment has been provided by NHS funding through the RBH.

A new project will be to provide two new MRIs provided in a separate building close to the hospital next year.