The Department of Health and Social Care says more than six million tests, scans, and health checks have taken place at community diagnostic centres (CDCs) across England, helping speed diagnoses and treatments for NHS patients.
The DHSC says the programme to establish more CDCs, backed by £2.3 billion, is the largest central cash investment in MRI and CT scanning capacity in the service’s history. As of November 2023, 6.1 million checks had been carried out at CDCs since the facilities were first introduced in July 2021.
Based in a variety of settings – including shopping centres, university campuses, and football stadiums, 141 of the diagnostic centres, including four temporary sites, are already open – including 40 brought forward earlier than planned. They offer patients a wide range of diagnostic tests closer to home, and greater choice on where and how they are treated.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins (pictured), said: “The Government’s £2.3 billion community diagnostic centre programme is the largest investment in MRI and CT scanning capacity in the history of the NHS. Placing high-tech equipment in places like shopping centres and near football stadiums makes it simpler for patients to get the care they need, as quickly as possible. We have now opened 141 CDCs across England, with more to come, and they are playing a vital role in faster diagnosis of illnesses like cancer and heart disease.”
Dr Vin Diwakar, NHS Medical director for Transformation, added: “Thanks to the hard work of staff, the latest data shows the NHS has delivered a record 25.9 million tests and checks over the past year – two 2 million more than the previous 12 months, and almost 50% more than a decade ago, helping ensure patients get the all-clear or diagnosis, so they can be treated for a range of conditions as quickly as possible. Millions of these tests have been performed at one of our 141 ‘one stop shops’ open across the country, situated in locations most convenient for patients.”
A number of the CDCs are run by the independent sector, but available to NHS patients as part of the programme.
