The Gloucestershire Echo has claimed one of the fastest-ever newspaper campaign victories by helping to secure three new cancer scanners for a local hospital within days.
The Northcliffe-owned daily revealed that two of the three breast cancer scanners in the area were broken, resulting in longer waiting times for patients. It then published a five-page investigation into how Cheltenham-based cancer charity the Cobalt Unit Appeal Fund had £9m in the bank. Four days after the story appeared, the charity agreed to replace all three of the scanners at a cost of £300,000.
Echo editor Anita Syvret said the decision as a victory for common sense. She said: “Although patients weren’t being turned away, the waiting times had risen. We felt that was unacceptable.
We were delighted that the charity agreed to replace the scanners so quickly.”
Reporter Charlie Webb wrote the Cobalt investigation.
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