New diagnostic centre will be built in Scunthorpe
The aim is is to reduce waiting times for patients
Last updated 15th May 2023
A Community Diagnostic Centre will be built in Scunthorpe, it's one of six new places to have them across the country.
The project is aiming to bring down waiting times - the centre will become a 'one stop shop' for a variety of health checks and scans as well as tests.
It's hoped this will reduce the need for some people to go to hospital for these appointments.
It's thought it'll help with an estimated 146,000 additional checks every year.
Almost £20 million will be spent on the site off Lindum Street in the town centre.
It's hoped it'll be open this winter.
Chief Executive of Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, Peter Reading, said:
“Our priority will always be to provide our patients with excellent standards of care – and we believe that moving some of our diagnostic services out into the community will allow us to do that.
“I’m delighted to say that we have been successful in bidding for £19.4 million from the national funding Community Diagnostic Centre programme to fund the scheme and have submitted a planning application to create a bespoke hub, off Lindum Street - right in the heart of Scunthorpe town centre.
“Our plans are at a very early stage but, should our planning application be successful, we will work with our partners in Primary Care, Community healthcare and North Lincolnshire Council to build the new facility, where we will be able to offer patients tests for a range of conditions, such as cancer, heart and lung disease – including X-Rays, MRI, ultrasound, and CT scans.
Alex Seale, North Lincolnshire Place Director, NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, said:
“One of the biggest potential benefits to you as patients would be that you’d no longer need to come onto our busy hospital site in order to have these tests carried out. Instead, you’ll be able to go to the town centre, where parking is plentiful and there are excellent public transport links. This also has the added benefit of freeing up parking for those who do need to come to the hospital.
“There are also infection control benefits, as reducing the number of people coming to our acute hospital sites naturally reduces the risk of spreading infections."
Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, Councillor Rob Waltham, added:
"This is great news for North Lincolnshire residents and another positive note for the High Street with more Government cash backing the plans to build a new future.
"This new health centre will have a massive impact on residents' access to critical health services, further improving health and wellbeing for thousands of people.
"It is also further good news for the town centre in Scunthorpe - a major investment, backed by government, which will drive more people into the town centre for more reasons."