State-of-the-art x-ray facilities have been unveiled at the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital.

It is hoped the new equipment, which cost more than £350,000, will end the need for some patients to be sent elsewhere.

The hospital’s League of Friends raised the money through a combination of fetes, coffee mornings, proceeds from its shop in the hospital and donations.

Its chairman, Gillian Fowler, says the new facilities are as advanced as those at the Kent and Canterbury and QEQM hospitals.

“It saves patients from Herne Bay from having to go anywhere else,” she said.

“The room previously wasn’t large enough or up to date enough. It will be as good as the x-ray facilities at a district hospital.”

The new machines are ceiling-mounted, which will allow for numerous parts of the body to be x-rayed, and access to the facilities have been improved for bed-bound patients, eliminating the need for them to be examined elsewhere.

“It will also take up to 30 stone in weight, instead of 18,” Ms Fowler added. “We couldn’t see everybody before, but now we can. It’ll just be better.”

The facilities will come into use before the end of the year.