THE Somerset Osteoporosis Service - which is based at Yeovil District Hospital - and is widely recognised as one of the best in the country would relish the opportunity to get its hands on one of the new state-of-the-art scanners.

The service clearly needs the new hi-tech scanner if it is to continue its hard and important work that has helped to make the Yeovil-based unit the UK Osteoporosis Team of the Year award winners in 1999 and 2000.

Osteoporosis clinical adviser Pam Whelan said: "The existing scanner we have is old and continually breaking down which means that some of our patients have now been waiting for more than a year to have a scan. The new scan would be a tremendous boost."

The Yeovil bone density unit can provide people with information on osteoporosis which includes prevention and treatment measures.

Mrs Whelan said: "We offer assessment of risk factors and advice on lifestyle adjustment to reduce risks. We offer full a diagnostic facility by recognised scans to establish whether osteoporosis is present."

Staff members are also able to give friendly, informal and confidential advice to patients to enable them to discuss their worries and answer their questions.

They are in constant liaison with the family doctor and are able provide details to people of both national and local osteoporosis support groups.