The Henry Bloom Noble Healthcare Trust (HBNT) has bought two ultrasound machines, which will be used in the care of mothers and babies at Noble’s Hospital.

The new machines, which cost £70,000, will be used in the maternity unit labour ward, the neonatal intensive care unit and at outpatient clinics. The machines offer greater capability than those they are replacing, with enhanced image quality and new features including internal battery, easy mobility and remote servicing.

The chairman of HBNT, Terry Groves, said: ’This latest investment in equipment at Noble’s enhances the service provided to patients in the Isle of Man which is the clear aim and objective of the Trust.

’The previous machines served us well but technology has moved on and replacement was overdue. We’re pleased to fund these two top-of-the-range Canon Xario 200G machines, which were carefully chosen by clinicians to meet current demands.’

The machine is used in the antenatal clinic to check the heartbeat and presentation of the baby or following a referral if a mum hasn’t felt the baby move. Previously this might have meant an anxious wait for the mother as she was sent up to the ward for a scan but one of the new portable machines is now on the spot to give an immediate assessment.

Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Mrs Michele Moroney said: ’Sometimes you can’t hear the foetal heart which obviously generates a lot of anxiety. We would never allow a mum to leave unless we’d been able to reassure her that her baby was OK.’

The other machine is used in the labour ward, to check presentation and foetal heart rate, and on the neonatal intensive care unit to scan babies’ heads. Previously a machine had to be brought up to the ward from downstairs, presenting an infection risk.

Consultant paediatrician and neonatologist Prakash Thiagarajan said: ’This machine is a whole new ball game. We are really pleased with it because of the quality of the images and because of how accessible it makes very essential investigations like a head scan and a heart scan for the infant. We can essentially do it at the bedside now.’

Four years ago, Henry Bloom Noble Trust bought specialist equipment for the neonatal unit which cools the brains of babies who have been starved of oxygen, to reduce long term brain damage. Mr Thiagarajan said that this has so far been used on four babies and has saved the lives of three of them.

Health and Social Care Minister David Ashford said: ’I would like thank the Henry Bloom Noble Trust and its donors on behalf of patients and staff for their generous donation. The Trust is a staunch and loyal supporter of Noble’s Hospital, always there to support us and unstintingly focused on providing equipment or funding services which will be a positive benefit for patients.’