A NEW permanent MRI suite could be built at Andover hospital to 'enhance care in the community'. 

Hampshire Hospitals has unveiled plans to extend Andover War Memorial Hospital to provide an MRI suite in a small extension to the hospital building. 

The new centre will replace the current mobile unit that has been located on the Charlton Road site since November 2022.

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The permanent centre is expected to provide better accommodation, particularly in terms of patient waiting, preparation, and recovery spaces.

The trust has said: "This will enable a combined improved staff and patient experience for CT and MRI, and allow a range of imaging to be taken to enhance care in the community for the residents of Andover and the wider Test Valley." 

A planning application for the scheme, which will be located next to the current CT scanner unit, has been submitted to Test Valley Borough Council. 

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It states: "This CT unit is located at the rear of the hospital, in close proximity to the main two-storey hospital building. The proposed extension will provide a common entrance to both the new MRI unit and the existing CT unit, accessed from an existing pavement (which will need realigning around the new footprint.)" 

The MRI unit is provided as a modular single-storey unit due to the installation constraints with the large equipment required.

The trust has said there will be no change to overall patient numbers and therefore 'negligible impact on parking requirements'.

The application also retrospectively covers the installation of a mechanical ventilation plant at the front of the hospital.

This is unconnected with the MRI scheme but has arisen because of the need to adjust the position of the plant installed last year to serve the x-ray department.

The X-ray ventilation plant comprises a low air-handling unit mounted on the ground, with ductwork connecting to the front elevation of the main hospital building.

The unit is sat within the recess formed by the two former ward wings and is partially concealed by a former day room. Due to the raised ground levels, it is largely concealed from view.

To view the application search with reference number 24/00123/FULLN on Test Valley Borough Council’s planning portal.