WAITING times for heart scans have been slashed at Northwich's Victoria Infirmary thanks to a £70,000 ultrasound machine.

In less than six months, the hospital has managed to cut patient waiting times in half and further reductions are on the cards.

The cardiac ultrasound machine has been used to scan patients since August and in five months it has helped reduce waiting times from 38 weeks to 17 weeks.

It has also reduced the journey time for patients travelling to hospitals from the north of mid Cheshire, who previously had to go to Crewe for a scan.

Patients, including those who had suffered heart attacks, would have to wait for a scan on one of two scanners at Leighton Hospital in Crewe.

Senior chief clinical physiologist Rosalind Lea said: "It is absolutely brilliant. The new scanner's made such a difference to our service and means we can see patients much more quickly.

"Patients have responded really positively, saying the service is wonderful."

The machine, known as an echocardiograph, is used to scan patients who have already had heart attacks and to determine if surgery is needed in patients suffering from a range of chest complaints.