PATIENTS in West Somerset in need of an X-ray are being sent to Taunton or Bridgwater until the New Year because equipment has become unreliable.

Minehead Community Hospital, the district’s designated urgent treatment centre, was offering X-rays between 9 am and 5 pm Monday to Friday.

But, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust which runs the hospital together with Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, has halted the procedure to allow new equipment to be installed.

Patients are now being directed to either Musgrove or Bridgwater Community Hospital until about January 6.

Foundation trust head of imaging Adam Turner said: “We are currently in the process of introducing a brand new imaging system at Minehead Community Hospital.

“The current X-ray equipment has served the hospital well over many years, but has now reached the end of its usable lifespan, having broken down a number of times in recent months.

“The new imaging system is expected to be in place for early January, and in the meantime we have put processes in place for patients to have an X-ray at Bridgwater or Musgrove Park hospitals.

“The scans will still be reviewed by the Minehead hospital team to avoid pressures on the other hospitals.

“Our advice to patients is to please continue to attend X-ray appointments as planned.

“If you have any questions, please use the contact details on your appointment letter.

“We want to thank everybody for their patience while this upgrade takes place.”

But one angry patient, who did not want to be named, told the Free Press: “I do not know how it can take so long to put in a new machine.

“I think it is absolutely appalling they are ding this, especially now it is winter and Christmas is coming up, and why have they not told anybody about it.”