A doctor said yesterday his Hamilton clinic was "on standby“ to help to meet demand for CT scans after the Bermuda Hospitals Board’s machines broke down.

J J Soares, the medical director at Hamilton Medical Centre, offered assistance after the BHB said that its scanners would be out of action until repairs were carried out.

Dr Soares said: “I was sorry to hear about the CT equipment malfunction at Bermuda Hospitals Board.

“I have approached the chief of staff at the hospital to let him know that we are on standby to assist with any needs in relation to CT scans should the volume increase or become an ongoing one.”

Dr Soares was speaking after the BHB teamed up with the Brown-Darrell Clinic in Smith’s, which will carry out CT scans for the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in the meantime.

Daniel Stovell, the BHB’s chief of radiology, explained that emergency patients who need a CT scan would be taken to the clinic by ambulance.

Dr Soares said: “We were surprised that BHB did not contact HMC Burnaby Urgent Care & Medical Imaging given our greater proximity to the hospital and the fact that we have a state-of-the-art GE Healthcare CT scanner which provides high-definition imaging, exceptional resolution and clarity, as well as reduced radiation dose.”

He added: “Myself and HMC remain ready, willing and overwhelmingly able to assist the hospital in any way necessary should they need our help at any point in the future.”