The business currently employs four people, including sonographers Jenelle Toole and Evelyn Meadows, and receptionists Joanne Chatman and Danielle de Wal.

Jenelle is currently the acting practice manager, but it is hoped that a new radiographer will be employed to perform CT scanning and to be practice manager.

The reception staff have been taking bookings, with the business open for the first appointments today.

Jenelle said all scanners and equipment at Parkes Diagnostic Services is top quality and state of the art, ensuring the best results.

The ultrasound is capable of capturing Doppler images, a technology used to scan any fluids that move, while the scanner is six-slice, allowing the radiographer to get fast results.

The centre also offers x-rays, and will soon have an OPG machine, which does dental x-rays.

‘The nearest equivalent to our CT scanner is at Orange,’ Jenelle said.

‘All our scanners take digital images so they can be sent to our radiologist in Sydney, and sent back to us quickly.’

Results are generally returned overnight, but in urgent cases, images can be sent to Sydney for diagnosis and returned to the patient’s GP within two hours.

Pension card holders are bulk billed and health care card holders receive a reduced rate, and all x-rays are now being bulk billed.

Parkes Diagnostic Services is located at Shop 1, 344 Clarinda Street, Parkes, opposite the Metroplaza.