When all is said and done, it's often the service from a system supplier that is as important as the technical merits of the actual system itself.

Vertec Scientific put great emphasis on after sales support.

Take Gloucester Royal Hospital whose Hologic Discovery Ci, bought with money raised by the Trust and the local branch of the National Osteoporosis Support Group, then chaired by Colin Goodwin, was installed early this year.

According the Senior Radiographer Clare Fletcher, who manages the unit, "The service we have had from Vertec has been second to none. When we have a problem we are able to speak to a person not a machine. The staff are always friendly and ready to respond to all our queries and requests. It is very reassuring to know that someone is always at the end of the phone to respond to any 'emergencies'.

We are also of course very pleased with the Hologic Discovery Ci. It is very user friendly and 'does what it says on the box'".