A new £2.8million radiotherapy CT suite has been opened at Torbay Hospital.

The new Radiotherapy Computed Tomography (RT-CT) scanner for Torbay and South Devon was purchased with more than £590,000 donated by Torbay Hospital League of Friends and will produce high quality scans faster and more efficiently.

CT scans, which are painless and usually take between 10 and 20 minutes, take detailed pictures of the inside of a person’s body that are better than a standard x-ray to detect disease.

Consultant clinical oncologist Nicole Dorey thanked the Torbay Hospital League of Friends at the opening ceremony, saying “their generous purchase of our new RT-CT scanner” will help develop the radiotherapy service at Torbay Hospital.

Sir Richard Ibbotson, chair at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It is clear to see the positive impact that the new CT scanner and suite will have on the experiences of the people we care for. It also will support our colleagues in continuing to provide a high standard of care for our local population.”

He also commented on the speed at which the unit was built, saying it was testament to the hard work of everyone who supported the project.

The purpose-built RT-CT suite and facilities is also intended to provide a more comfortable environment for patients. This includes improved changing facilities and toilets, and an LED picture ceiling lighting and wall picture panels in the CT scanner room.

Work on the Torbay Hospital unit started in May this year. The new suite was built into the car park as an extension and is part of a £100million redevelopment plan that will see some of the hospital’s oldest buildings being replaced by new state-of-the-art facilities.

Torbay Hospital and the four community hospitals carry out about 21,000 theatre procedures every year, treating 73,000 people through the Emergency Department and 40,000 through the minor injury units. More than 370,000 people are treated at outpatient appointments and some 500,000 people in their homes.