At The Royal Melbourne Hospital, a single CT scanner was carrying an extraordinary load - one of the busiest in the southern hemisphere.

When every minute matters, that demand came at a cost, with life-saving scans prioritised and other patients sometimes waiting longer for answers.

Thanks in part to the generosity of Home Lottery supporters, a second CT scanner is now changing that.

Today, more patients can access critical imaging sooner, bringing clarity in some of their most vulnerable moments. Whether for emergency care or conditions like stroke or cancer, faster scans enable earlier, life-saving decisions and treatment when it matters most.

In the Emergency Department, wait times are already reducing, so people receive care faster. The technology is also more advanced, with clearer imaging often providing answers in the first scan, reducing the need for additional tests and giving patients greater certainty, earlier in their journey.

Associate Professor Mark Putland, Director of Emergency Medicine Access, explains:

“Adding a second CT scanner has removed one of our biggest pressure points. Patients, including vulnerable elderly people, wait far less time for scans, while we can still respond immediately to trauma and stroke cases.

It also provides built-in backup, so when a machine is being serviced, we can continue delivering critical care.”

For staff, it means care with greater precision and less pressure.

For patients, it can mean the difference that minutes make when every second counts.