Work to start on 'much-needed' diagnostic centre

The new Community Diagnostic Centre in Wellington Street, Peterborough could open in 2025

A city hospital is to get a new diagnostic centre which could be up and running next year.

North West Anglia Foundation Trust (NWAFT), which runs Peterborough City Hospital, will staff and run the new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) in Peterborough.

The trust said land purchase of the site in Wellington Street was complete and that the next stages were under way, including demolishing old buildings and submitting a formal planning application for the new centre.

A spokesperson said the new facility would help improve the delivery of diagnostic testing and reduce patient waiting times for clinical investigation.

'Better experience'

Hanna Coffey, chief executive officer of the trust, said: "The Community Diagnostic Centre is of huge benefit to our local communities.

"We know that waiting times for tests to help diagnose a condition are longer than we want them to be, and this can create additional anguish as well as a delay in treatment.

"The CDC will help us reduce waiting times and give patients a better experience, ensuring they receive results quicker. We are very excited to see this project evolve."

The CDC will offer CT, MRI and DEXA scanning, as well as phlebotomy services and a direct link to the pathology services at Peterborough City Hospital.

Work has been ongoing for some months to work out the demand for these diagnostic services in the city and ensure that the new facility could meet the growing needs of an expanding population.

Dr Gary Howsam, chief clinical improvement officer at NHS Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, said: "We are delighted that work is about to start on the new Community Diagnostic Centre in Peterborough.

"Once open, the centre will provide local people with the opportunity to access much-needed diagnostic tests closer to home, giving them more choice about where and when they have their tests."