Diagnostic health centre planned for Hull city centre

The centre is due to open in Albion Square in December

An NHS facility where people can go for health tests, checks and scans instead of hospital is set to open in Hull.

The new community diagnostic centre (CDC) is set to open in Albion Square in December.

It is part of a government-funded health initiative to reduce NHS waiting lists.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the centre would help cut out unnecessary hospital visits and provide more convenient care to patients.

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the Hull centre would have the capacity to carry out 199,000 tests a year, including for cancer and heart disease.

GPs would also be able to refer patients to the CDC rather than going to hospital.

Hull is one of eight CDCs to be approved last week.

Mr Barclay said the new CDCs would benefit thousands of patients.

"Patients will be able to access a range of life-saving tests, including MRI scans, X-rays, and respiratory checks, speeding up the diagnosis of illnesses like cancer and heart disease," he said.

"We have already made significant progress in bringing down waiting lists and community diagnostic centres are a key part of this, with over 4m vital checks delivered so far."

A total of 108 CDCs have been opened since July 2021, including in shopping centres and at universities, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The government plans to open 160 by March 2025, with £2.3bn invested in new diagnostic services.