Community Clinics will cut NHS waiting lists, says PM
Six new ones are opening across the east of England, the Midlands and the South East
Rishi Sunak has claimed new community diagnostic centres will ensure the Government target of cutting waiting lists is met.
The Prime Minister has hailed the community clinics as a key plank in his efforts to drive down NHS waits, with six new centres opening across the east of England, the Midlands and the South East.
More than 100 are already being used across England, with more than 30 more set to open before the end of the year.
Amid ongoing pressure on the NHS, ministers are hoping the "one stop shops" for tests, checks and scans can relieve the strain.
In January, Mr Sunak pledged that NHS waiting lists will fall and people will get the care they need more quickly.
But figures released earlier this week showed the number of people in England waiting to start routine hospital treatment has risen to a record high.
The centres 'revolutionise the way the NHS delivers care'
An estimated 7.3 million people were waiting to start treatment at the end of March, up from 7.2 million in February.
Mr Sunak said: "I have pledged to cut waiting lists and these new community diagnostic centres will do exactly that.
"By offering checks, tests and scans closer to home, we can speed up the diagnosis of illnesses like cancer and heart disease and ensure patients get their treatment quickly.
"These centres revolutionise the way the NHS delivers care and crucially they are saving lives."
Where will the new centres be?
North Lincolnshire CDC – situated in a car park in Scunthorpe town centre, the facility will offer more than 146,000 additional checks a year. This will include ultrasound checks, blood tests and CT and MRI scans.
Pitsea CDC – opening in the next few months it will provide up to 46,000 tests, checks and scans a year. Located in a retail park, it will boost the number of endoscopy rooms in the regions for cancer patients and offer potentially life-saving CT and MRI scans
Ilkeston Community Hospital (Walton) CDC – providing more than 100,000 tests, checks and scans per year It will be based at Walton NHS Community Hospital and give patients access to ultrasound checks, X-rays and cardiology and respiratory diagnostics.
North Solihull CDC - Set to open in Winter 2023, the new CDC will be based on a commercial retail site in Chelmsley Wood, North Solihull. It will offer access to MRI, CT and X-ray scans, along with cardiology and respiratory diagnostics – delivering 116,000 tests, checks and scans a year.
Hereford City CDC – opening in winter, the new CDC will be based on an NHS community hospital site in the city. It will offer MRI, CT and X-ray scans, alongside ultrasound and respiratory checks, alongside blood tests – delivering 38,000 tests, checks and scans a year.
Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley CDC - the facility, a refurbishment of Livingstone Community Hospital in Dartford, will offer access to ultrasound checks, blood tests, along with CT and MRI scans. Opening in Autumn 2023, it will deliver over 96,000 tests, checks and scans.
The Government and NHS England had also set the ambition of eliminating all waits of more than 18 months by April of this year, excluding exceptionally complex cases or patients who choose to wait longer.
But the latest data showed the target was missed.
The new centres have been backed with £2.3 billion, with the latest due to open in Hereford City, Scunthorpe and several other sites.
Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, said: "We know early diagnosis and treatment leads to better outcomes for patients, which is why these centres are so vital.
"Based in the heart of communities, they are making it easier for people to access life-saving checks and cutting out unnecessary hospital visits.
"They have already made a huge difference, delivering nearly four million tests, checks and scans since the programme started in July 2021, helping to deliver on the Government's commitment to cut waiting lists."
NHS medical director for transformation, Dr Vin Diwakar, said the centres would "continue to increase access to care by providing vital scans, X-rays, endoscopies and blood tests closer to patients' homes".