Community diagnostic test centre officially opens

Northamptonshire MPs Rosie Wrighting and Lee Barron joined health minister Karin Smyth at the official opening

A new £11.7m diagnostic centre that will "take the pressure off" a county's hospitals has been officially opened.

The Corby Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at the Willowbrook Health Centre site will deliver about 93,000 tests a year and will carry out procedures such as MRIs and ultrasound scans.

The service has been available to patients since June and operates seven days a week from 08:00 to 20:00, with referrals made by GPs or hospital consultants for testing.

Laura Churchward, the chief executive of University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group, said it was "really important to have community services serving local populations".

The centre was officially opened by health minister Karin Smyth MP, who met patients and cut a ribbon to mark the occasion.

Lee Barron, the Labour MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, said the "community-based facility" demonstrated the government's "determination to deliver".

He said: "It [the centre] is modern, up to date and demonstrates what can be done for the best care quality."

Mr Barron said it would help "alleviate pressure" on nearby Kettering General Hospital, while Rosie Wrighting, the Labour MP for Kettering, added that the centre will "benefit the whole of North Northamptonshire".

Health minister Karin Smyth cut a ribbon as the centre was officially opened

Plans for the Corby CDC were first announced in early 2023, followed by public engagement events in October as the scheme progressed through council planning approvals.

Work started on the Corby site in June 2024 and was completed in May 2025.

The centre will be operated by University Hospitals of Northamptonshire in partnership with Alliance Medical, an independent sector provider, and is centrally funded as part of a national initiative to deliver services through CDCs across the country.

The Corby CDC will also offer a range of respiratory, cardiac and blood tests. These include a dedicated dementia pathway, designed to speed up diagnosis and raise awareness for patients with suspected dementia, using MRI or CT tests.