TOOWOOMBA Hospital has received a $9.5 million boost from the State Government, just in time for Christmas.

A new MRI service would be kick-started in 2017, Health Minister Cameron Dick announced yesterday.

The new expansion to the CT service will allow the hospital to treat thousands more patients who would otherwise be referred to other facilities.

"Every year at Toowoomba Hospital there are around 500 inpatients and 1500 outpatients who need MRI services and those patients are currently referred to private services in Toowoomba, or to Brisbane," he said.

"Having an MRI on-site will mean huge savings in terms of time and travel for patients, and for the nursing staff who accompany them to off-site services.

"The Philips Ingenia 3T machine to be installed will be the first of its kind in a public hospital in the area covered by the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service."

The service is expected to be running from mid-2017, much to the delight of DDHHS chair Mike Horan.

"The MRI service will be located adjacent to our medical imaging department here in the Emma Webb building at Toowoomba Hospital, with major construction work scheduled to start in February," he said.

"If all goes to schedule we anticipate that will be providing public MRI services from June next year."