Two new Northamptonshire diagnostic centres to be opened

The new centre will offer screening such as MRI, CT and ultrasound scans

Two community diagnostic centres are set to open in Northamptonshire, reducing the need for hospital visits.

The NHS facilities, which are due to open in early 2024, will be in Corby and Kings Heath, Northampton.

The sites will offer a range of services, such as MRI scans, blood testing and ultrasounds.

University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group's Polly Grimmett said they would "bring down waiting times".

The group, which manages hospitals in Kettering and Northampton, said it was hoped that once fully functional, the community diagnostic centres (CDCs) will deliver about 90,000 additional tests each year.

The Corby centre will be at Willowbrook Health Centre site, while the other will be at the existing Kings Heath Medical Centre in Northampton.

Nearly £17m in government funding will be used to help in establishing the sites, which are two of a number being created around the country as part of a drive to cut NHS waiting lists.

Ms Grimmett, the group director of strategy, said the CDCs will be open "12 hours a day, seven days a week, which is really going to be beneficial to patients".

She said she hoped it would "encourage" patients to come to those centres sooner, "when they recognise symptoms", which would lead to earlier diagnoses and them being "able to get their treatment earlier... and have better health outcomes".