A new £1.25 million CT scanner for Withybush Hospital "proves that the hospital is not under threat," says Hywel Dda Health Board.

Health board chief executive Trevor Purt has welcomed the investment and said it demonstrates that Withybush will remain a district general hospital and a commitment to upgrading services in the county.

“This investment into Withybush General Hospital once again demonstrates that there is no truth in the rumours that Withybush is under threat of closure or downgrading. “Withybush has seen nearly £20M invested in capital projects with a new Emergency and Urgent Care Centre, two replacement theatres, a new MRI scanner and now this CT scanner. This large and ongoing investment continues to benefit Pembrokeshire people and I would like to reiterate, on record, that any suggestion that Withybush Hospital will become a cottage hospital is totally misinformed.

“It will remain a District General Hospital with a whole range of core services,“ Mr Purt said.

He added that the health board has a legal obligation to provide safe and sustainable services that meet the needs of patients, within available resources.

“No change is not an option but we will meet the challenge by talking to clinicians to begin shaping services to provide more care closer to people’s homes in the future,” he added.

The CT scanner will be in place by April 2011.