St Joseph’s private hospital in Newport is set to become one of the best equipped in the UK, according to the new owners who are planning to invest about £7m in revamping the site.

Brian Staples, one of a group of three who bought the hospital for £2.78m earlier this year, said the plans included creating a minor injuries unit, a breast cancer care unit, an oncology unit and an improved imaging unit with new CT and MRI scanners.

He said: "To begin with we are working on the outside of the building which was looking a bit tired when we bought it. We are smartening it up. We've got a new logo and will be replacing the signage.

"But the big investment will be on the inside of the hospital. We are looking at a total investment of about £7m.

"We will start with big changes in the imaging department. It is being rebuilt and will include a new X-ray, new fluoroscopy and a state-of-the-art CT and MRI scanners. In effect this will mean we have the most advanced diagnostic capability of any hospital in South Wales both NHS and private. We will be stepping up to a world-leading position in that part of the hospital meaning that we will be in the forefront of diagnostics in modern medicine."

Mr Staples, who also co-owns a scanning centre in Harley Street, said: "The hospital is a very good hospital in respect of patients satisfaction already. It is also blessed with a very caring staff who are an absolute pleasure to work with.

"We are an unusual business model because there are three of us who own 60 per cent of the business and the other 40 per cent is made up of the consultants who practice here. They all wanted the hospital to survive."

The 52-bed hospital in Malpas currently offers more than 300 procedures, but that number will increase when all the improvements have been made. Patients come from all over South Wales and even from across the Severn Bridge.

It currently employs 130 staff, more than 20 more than when Mr Staples and his partners took over the hospital. They also have a bank of 85 staff. About 148 consultants work from the premises.

He said: "We are hoping for another 30 to 50 staff to come on board once all the work has been done. And we have also taken on a couple of apprentices on the admin side.

Mr Staples said: "We want St Joseph’s to be the best it can be and employ as many people as we can."