The Northern Health and Social Care Trust board approved a business case in January to buy nine new ultrasound scanners for almost £700,000. The scanners will replace equipment in radiology services that covers routine, planned, urgent and unscheduled examinations for inpatients and outpatients.

Three scanners will go to Antrim Area Hospital, three to Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, two to Mid Ulster Hospital in Magherafelt and one to Whiteabbey Hospital. The existing scanners have passed the manufacturer's recommended five-year lifespan.

The Strategic Planning and Performance Group and Regional Medical Imaging Board prioritised the replacements and allocated funding. Capital funding came from the Department of Health via the Regional Medical Imaging Board.

The new equipment will provide high-quality imaging and faster, reliable scanning to support diagnosis and treatment for patients.

In November, the board also approved replacing an 18-year-old CT scanner at Mid Ulster Hospital with a modern, low-dose model. That upgrade will allow more patients to be scanned and offer backup for other sites.