A new MRI scanner in Cornwall is now up and running, ready to provide around 7,000 scans each year.

It is part of ongoing efforts to provide treatment to patients closer to home, take the pressure of the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro and reduce the backlog in elective care left by the Covid pandemic.

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has announced the opening of the new relocatable MRI unit at Bodmin Community Hospital, which is home to a recently completed community diagnostic centre.

It will be staffed by clinicians from Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust.

Steve Williamson, chief executive of Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We recognise that receiving as much of the care they need closer to home is really important for our patients, with less time travelling and less stress.

The relocatable building is based at Bodmin Community Hospital (Image: Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust)

"Being able to provide a wide range of services from the community diagnostic centre here in Bodmin not only makes that possible, but also helps us to reduce waiting times and to relieve pressure on our main hospitals in Truro and Plymouth.

"It is an outstanding example of teams working together across our organisations to improve patient care."

Steve was joined by Debbie Richards, chief executive of Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, together with NHS colleagues and local councillors, for a formal opening event and ribbon cutting on Monday.

The official ribbon cutting ceremony (Image: Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust)

Funding for the £2.5m unit was secured by NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board.

The Board's chief executive Kate Shields said: "The new MRI unit is a welcome addition to the extensive range of health and care services available at Bodmin, from the community diagnostic centre to the primary care hub.

"We are committed to caring where it matters and it is a delight to see this new service up and running. Well done to all the teams involved."

The relocatable MRI unit will operate 363 days per year and has already welcomed its first patients.