Three million NHS patients in the UK have received crucial tests, checks, or scans at new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) set up around the country. In a recent press release, the Department of Health and Social Care announced that 92 CDCs were operational, with 19 more due to open later this year.
Described as ‘one stop shops’, the locations vary from existing GP and hospital sites, to places in the community, such as sports centres and shopping malls. They are equipped with medical technology such as MRI scanners, X-ray units, and ultrasound scanners. Medics can also perform a range of tests and checks.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Rapid diagnosis offers reassurance to patients, reduces waiting lists, and, crucially, saves lives. CDCs have been fundamental to this effort, delivering over 3 million extra tests which are helping to diagnose conditions from cancer to lung disease more quickly across the country.”
He added: “The new centres will take us even further, utilising cutting-edge MRI, CT and X-ray machines to transform the way we deliver care closer to people’s homes helping tens of thousands of people.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently visited a CDC facility in Oldham, Greater Manchester, the Shropshire Star reports.
He commented: “At the beginning of the year I made five promises to the country, one of them was to cut waiting lists, and I’m here today to see this fantastic community diagnostic centre in Oldham, which is helping us do exactly that – cutting the waiting list.”
He added: “These centres bring together all the different tests, checks and scans that people need, take them out of hospitals, closer to people’s homes in the community, making it easier for them to access that treatment, and get it far quicker.”
“It’s really working. It’s making a major difference in cutting waiting lists and that’s why we’re rolling out almost 150 of these across the country.”
NHS National Director of Elective Recovery, Sir James Mackey, said: “The NHS’s ambitious elective recovery plan, published just over a year ago, had these innovative ‘one-stop shops’ at its heart.”
He added: “Since then they have played a key role in helping us virtually eliminate the number of people waiting more than 2 years for treatment and keeping the NHS on track to do the same for people waiting over 18 months by the end of April, with the centres - often based in convenient places such as in shopping centres, high streets and community hospitals - now having delivered an incredible 3 million tests and checks.
“These 19 new centres will boost access for tens of thousands more patients and build on the great work of NHS staff in recovering services, helping the NHS deliver an extra 9 million tests a year by 2025 - an increase in capacity of more than a quarter on pre-pandemic levels.”
The government has committed to launching 160 CDCs by March 2025.
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