Health centre to tackle Covid backlogs comes to Dudley
10 have been approved across the country
A new 'one-stop' health centre is being rolled out in Dudley to tackle Covid backlogs - by delivering vital tests - checks and scans for patients in the region.
The Health Secretary has approved 10 new community diagnostic centres (CDCs), as the hubs passed the milestone of delivering more than two million tests, checks and scans.
The new centres will be rolled out across England, including the Isle of Wight, Burnley in Lancashire and the Medway region in Kent too.
Based in community settings such as shopping centres and football stadiums, the hubs are designed to reduce Covid backlogs by speeding up diagnoses.
The centres house a range of equipment, including MRI, X-ray and ultrasound scanners and offer services including blood tests and heart rhythm monitoring.
Once referred by a GP, pharmacist or hospital, patients can access CDCs in their area and get symptoms checked out.
The one-stop shops, backed by £2.3 billion in government funding, have delivered more than two million tests, checks and scans since July 2021.
The Government has prioritised rolling out up to 160 of these centres across England by 2025 to help reduce Covid backlogs - there are currently 92 operational CDCs.
Other new CDCs will be in Warrington, Cheshire, Newmarket in Suffolk and Rotherham in South Yorkshire.