A PIONEERING network to help cancer sufferers find treatment has been set up in West Yorkshire hospitals.

Next month, the Bupa health organisation is launching the UK's first specialist MRI scanning network, giving patients access to leading radiologists and state-of-the-art scanners in six centres of excellence in the region.

About 230 private and NHS hospitals across the UK will make up the network, which will give patients convenient local access to high standards of care.

Local facilities in the network are Bupa's Elland Hospital and the NHS's Dewsbury and District Hospital.

Many of the units are open on evenings and weekends and patients can get an out-patient appointment for an MRI scan within 48 hours.

Bupa Health Insurance already offers a specialist care service for members who have breast, bowel and gynaecological cancer through a network of cancer hospitals.

The new MRI network is the next step in Bupa's specialist network programme.

The units have the most up-to-date technology and access to specialist consultant radiologists.

Bupa spokeswoman Dr Natalie Jane Macdonald said: "Bupa pays for 80,000 MRI scans every year.

"We want to ensure we offer the best value for money and local access for all our members and also make the whole process simple for them.

"Getting the right treatment at the right time in the right place means a better outcome for patients."