A HEALTH watchdog will reiterate its support for an MRI scanner bid which may dramatically cut waiting lists at the Alexandra Hospital.

The Community Health Council (CHC) will report tonight on an X-ray department visit on Friday, which chief officer Moira Morris described as 'very positive'.

The trust which runs the hospital has agreed that should the money be made available by the Government, it would buy a magnetic diagnostic scanner for the hospital.

No announcement has yet been made as to whether the Government will make the money available.

Currently, a mobile scanner runs one day a week at the hospital and waiting lists to diagnose some conditions are as long as a year.

Mrs Morris said staff in the X-ray department felt that waiting lists could potentially be cut to just four weeks if an MRI scanner was installed.