WARMINSTER Community Hospital will now be able to give patients a faster diagnosis after having an x-ray thanks to a £16,500 state-of-the-art piece of equipment.

The small detector plate was purchased by The Friends of Warminster Hospital and will work in tandem with the new x-ray machine, which was installed in June.

Charles Lane, chairman of The Friends of Warminster Hospital, said: “We’ve held various funding raising events and the people of Warminster and the surrounding area are extremely generous.

“We’ve also received three large grants which have allowed us to buy this piece of equipment which is not covered by the NHS.

“It will work well with the new x-ray machine and it’s a big step forward.”

Placed underneath a patient’s body part, the new plate will provide clearer and faster results than the previous plate and is also linked with Bath’s Royal United Hospital.

This means the image can immediately be assessed by a consultant and a diagnosis given much faster than with the previous plate.

Gina Quincey, radiographer at Warminster Community Hospital, said: “It’s much more comfortable for the patients when we do certain x-rays and technically the pictures are much better and more detailed.

“When our old x-ray machine broke we were left without one for nine months meaning people had to travel to Bath or Salisbury.

“It was a big thing not to have in the hospital and now we get about 20 people a day using the new one.

“It’s a really important facility, especially with the ability for a consultant miles away to be able to look at the x-ray.

“Patients have already commented how quickly they are being seen.”

A faster piece of software and step allowing a standing x-ray to be taken for the first time at the hospital were also purchased for £1,200.

Treasurer for The Friends of Warminster Hospital, Rodger Stocks, said: “I had my hip x-rayed as I broke it and before that I had to travel to Bath and Salisbury but now it is so much quicker and easier.”