Around £1.75 million has been allocated by NHS Forth Valley to provide medical equipment over the next year. This includes upgrading existing equipment and also purchasing a new state-of-the art orthodontics scanner which will allow impressions to be taken digitally.

NHS Forth Valley Consultant in Dental Public Health Derek Richards said the scanner, which will be installed at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, would greatly improve the experience for patients. He explained: “Some people dislike the taste and texture of the impression material and can find it a little bit of a mouthful! This new scanner will be much more speedy and comfortable. It will also mean that details can be stored digitally and that we will no longer have to keep models of impressions in store cupboards.”

The biggest spend in this year’s equipment plan is £360,000 for the Endoscopy department. This will buy four new camera stacks and an ultrasound scanner.

Other items which will be purchased include ten dialysis machines over two years, additional ultrasound scanners in women and children’s and radiology, and a bladder scanner in urology. Thirty-six ward-based blood pressure monitors are also being bought.

Although many of the items have been purchased for Forth Valley Royal Hospital, community hospitals will also benefit too, with around £12,000 being spent on the provision of enhanced resuscitation equipment.

NHS Forth Valley Medical Director Miss Tracey Gillies said: “Our Medical Equipment Replacement Plan for 2015/16 represents a significant investment to ensure that patients across Forth Valley continue to benefit from the latest technology. This not only improves care and treatment but can have a significant impact on the experience of patients.