Patients are waiting almost a year for hospital scans in Brighton and Hove.

People needing a non-urgent MRI scan at the Royal Sussex County Hospital are waiting as long as 11 months for their test as staff work to clear a backlog.

The delay was caused by the hospital's previous scanner, which was old and often developed technical problems.

It has now been replaced and work is under way to get patients on the waiting list seen as quickly as possible.

A hospital spokeswoman said patients needing an urgent scan, such as a check for suspected breast cancer, would be seen quickly because a certain number of slots were set aside every week for emergency cases.

About 12 to 14 patients are scanned every day but on average, one patient does not turn up for their appointment.

The MRI scan team has a cancellations list where patients waiting for a scan can be contacted at short notice to take their place.

A hospital spokeswoman said: "Apart from the problems with the old scanner, there has also been an increase in the number of patients being referred for a scan.

"More clinicians are keen to use the scanner so there is more demand for it."

To help meet the demand a second scanner is being installed this summer and should be ready for use in September.