BABIES in Southend will benefit from a £47,000 scanner that will help deliver a higher level of care.

The new high-tech scanner at Southend Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit is now in use thanks to the year-long fundraising exploits of the Olympus KeyMed Charity Committee members.

Olympus KeyMed Charity Committee chairman, Ben Aldridge, and members of the committee visited the hospital to see the impressive equipment on the unit.

Mr Aldridge said: “We originally set a target of £30,000 to help with the cost of buying a new scanner for the unit, which even we were unsure we could meet, so we were just astounded with over £55,000.

“It’s been hugely inspiring and we all feel amazingly proud.”

The super scanner cost £47,000, although the Charity Committee surpassed that with a grand total of £55,792.

Mr Aldridge said: “With two members of the committee having used the Special Care Baby Unit, it was something close to all our hearts and we therefore decided to support them with our fundraising efforts,” added Mr Aldridge.

“We can see what a difference this equipment will make to babies born too small, too soon or too sick.

“I am proud of all my committee members and the huge efforts made by us all and Olympus staff, family and friends, raising this amazing sum of money.”

The state-of-the-art scanner means the department can offer a higher level of care for its newly-born patients.

Consultant paediatrician, Dr Arfa Khan, said: “We truly cannot thank the charity committee and the staff at Olympus KeyMed enough – their hard work and dedication to fundraising for this scanner has really been amazing.

“This equipment will make a huge difference to the unit and our patients. It is portable, and allows us to scan babies in their incubators, which is much safer. It also provides far superior images to what we were previously using – allowing faster and more accurate treatment.

“We would be able to do heart scans live over telemedicine link with specialist hospitals like the Royal Brompton, so they can help provide assessments remotely, minimising unnecessary journeys into London for sick babies.”

Over the last year the Olympus KeyMed team organised car washes, charity waxing events, and fundraising evenings.