And two highly experienced radiographers will be working at a new centre at Wansbeck General Hospital alongside three who are currently working at North Tyneside Hospital.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's new centre will provide MRI services for a further 6,000 patients every year.

The development started in March this year and will cover an area of around 2,000 sq ft. It is expected to be fully operational by the end of October and will be equipped with the highest quality GE HD 1.5T MRI scanner.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a sophisticated medical imaging technique.

It uses magnetic fields to visualise the structure and function of soft tissues and blood vessels, and is especially useful in examinations relating to neurology, cardiology, musculo-skeletal and oncology.

Over the past two years the trust has brought down waiting times for diagnostic tests, including MRI and CT scans, to within one to two weeks with 98 per cent of those results being reported back to patients within two weeks.

Marion Dickson, general manager for clinical support services and cancer services, said: "The short waiting times show just how much our patients are really benefiting from the improvements we've put in place.

"We're able to see more patients faster, with state-of-the-art technology and our dedicated staff bringing services closer to people's homes."

The appointments system has been improved to give patients more choice and speed the process up.

Appointments can be made over the phone and into the evening to reach more people quickly.

Patients are also given the choice of the first available appointment, which may be at any of the trust's hospitals, or given the date of an appointment at their preferred hospital.

The trust also uses mobile scanning units to enable patients to have their tests carried out more locally at Wansbeck, Hexham, Berwick and Alnwick.

Radiographers work in the evenings and weekends to see patients, with plans to further increase this service.

The trust is investing in future staff too and has links with Teesside and Cumbria universities.