Thousands of patients visit new diagnostic centres

The new diagnostic centres are designed to allow hospital staff more time to focus on patients with more complex needs

More than 15,000 patients have now been seen at three new diagnostic centres since they opened, according to an NHS trust.

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it was expected about 60,000 people would use the centres at Sulis Hospital in Bath, West Swindon Health Centre and Salisbury Centre Health Clinic by April next year.

The Bath site opened in March 2023, while the latter two opened in spring 2024.

The centres provide diagnostics that were once only available in hospitals such as CT scans, X-rays and endoscopy procedures.

They were designed to allow hospital staff more time to focus on patients with more complex needs.

Claire Thompson, chief officer of improvements and partnerships at the trust, said: "Although each of our three diagnostic centres are now open, this is only the beginning of our journey to bring the same high-quality care that patients would get in an acute hospital into the community."