To reduce pressure on the NHS and improve patient care, the government will fund hundreds of new community diagnostic centres in local areas
By 2025, the Government and NHS aim to deliver over 160 community diagnostic centres across England to decrease the NHS waiting list and improve the number of patients receiving care.
Expected to provide over 500,000 additional tests, checks and scans a year, these ‘one-stop shops’ will offer patients diagnostic testing closer to home.
Freeing up clinician time to help further cut the waiting lists
Receiving £2.3 billion in funding, new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) will be set up in the East of England, the Midlands and the South East to begin with, and will eventually reduce the need for hospital visits, lessening pressure on the NHS.
How do these CDCs work?
Rather than travelling to the hospital, patients can get their symptoms checked much closer to home by calling their GPs or a consultant and receiving a referral.
These diagnostics will be able to soon check for numerous conditions like cancer, heart or lung disease.
Set to develop urgent diagnostic scan facilities, the NHS will soon have shorter waiting times and a reduced risk of cancellation.
106 community diagnostic centres are open across England so far, the CDC programme has delivered over 3.8 million additional tests, checks and scans since July 2021.
Where are the new community diagnostic centres?
- North Lincolnshire CDC: This facility will offer more than 146,000 additional checks a year, including ultrasound checks, blood tests and CT and MRI scans.
- Pitsea CDC: This CDC will provide 46,000 tests, checks and scans a year, boosting the number of endoscopy rooms in the regions for cancer patients and offer CT and MRI scans.
- Ilkeston Community Hospital (Walton) CDC: They will provide over 100,000 tests, checks and scans per year based at Walton NHS Community Hospital, and will give patients access to ultrasound checks, X-rays and cardiology and respiratory diagnostics.
- North Solihull CDC: To open in the winter of 2023, the new CDC will offer access to MRI, CT and X-ray scans, along with cardiology and respiratory diagnostics – delivering 116,000 tests, checks and scans a year.
- Hereford City CDC: Also opening in winter, the new CDC will be based on an NHS community hospital site in the city, offering MRI, CT and X-ray scans, alongside ultrasound and respiratory checks, alongside blood tests – delivering 38,000 tests, checks and scans a year.
- Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley CDC: This facility will offer access to ultrasound checks, blood tests, along with CT and MRI scans. Opening in Autumn 2023, it will deliver over 96,000 tests, checks and scans.
32 other CDC facilities are due to open before the end of the year
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “I have pledged to cut waiting lists, and these new Community Diagnostic Centres will do exactly that.
“By offering checks, tests and scans closer to home, we can speed up the diagnosis of illnesses like cancer and heart disease and ensure patients get their treatment quickly.
“These centres revolutionise the way the NHS delivers care, and crucially, they are saving lives.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “We know early diagnosis and treatment leads to better outcomes for patients, which is why these centres are so vital.
“Based in the heart of communities”
“Based in the heart of communities, they are making it easier for people to access life-saving checks and cutting out unnecessary hospital visits.
“They have already made a huge difference, delivering nearly four million tests, checks and scans since the programme started in July 2021, helping to deliver on the government’s commitment to cut waiting lists.”
