A new £5.2m Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) opened its doors for the first time at Chesterfield’s Walton Hospital on 1 September, marking a significant milestone in improving patient access to diagnostic services across North Derbyshire.
The purpose-built facility, developed in partnership between Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, Chesterfield Royal NHS Foundation Trust and Actiform as the main construction partner, is part of a wider £29.9 million investment in Community Diagnostic Centres across Derby and Derbyshire.
The CDC at Walton Hospital aims to deliver faster, more convenient appointments, transforming how and where people access vital health tests, scans and checks; reducing waiting times, easing pressure on acute hospital services and supporting a key ambition of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan to move more care from hospitals to the community.
The CDC at Walton offers a range of services including phlebotomy (blood tests), ultrasound, CT scanning, x-ray, Point of Care Testing, Audiology and Cardio-respiratory, diagnosing conditions such as cancer, heart disease and respiratory issues.
Within the first month of opening, more than 4,000 tests and scans are expected to take place, with many appointments taking place at evenings and weekends, supporting more flexibility and accessibility for patients: resulting in quicker diagnosis and treatment plans.
Jim Austin, chief executive of Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Walton Hospital, said: “This is a fantastic day for patients who can now access a whole range of sophisticated diagnostic tests in a new ultra-modern building right here on our community hospital site.
“This is one of three community diagnostic centres located in our Derbyshire community hospitals, bringing high-tech facilities into the heart of local communities. Other diagnostic centres are already up and running at Whitworth Hospital in Darley Dale and at Ilkeston Community Hospital. These developments are being made possible through our partnership working with Chesterfield Royal Hospital and University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, meaning we are extending the scope of what’s available to patients locally across Derbyshire and in line with the new NHS 10-year plan to focus more care in community settings.”
Dr Hal Spencer, chief executive of Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The opening of this Community Diagnostic Centre is a major step forward in our commitment to delivering care closer to our patients’ homes in the community. “We’re really proud and excited to be able to open this brilliant new facility as we make diagnostic tests and services more accessible, more efficient, and ultimately improve patient outcomes and experiences.”
The CDC is designed as a ‘one-stop shop’, allowing patients to undergo multiple diagnostic tests under one roof, reducing the need for travel and multiple appointments. The site is accessible via public transport or cycling and even offers free car parking.
Located inside the main reception, a local photographer, Scott Antcliffe, has donated an image that visitors may recognise: Baslow Edge. Scott wanted to ‘give back to the NHS’ and show his appreciation to staff working across healthcare and donated a further 17 images which are located throughout the new development, and include local landscapes, Derbyshire landmarks and wildlife.
Scott said: “I have lots of thanks to share to everyone in the NHS for everything they do. The NHS has always got a place in my heart, and I think we are incredibly lucky to have it.
“If I can give back to my local community and the NHS for all the amazing work they do, then that is such a nice feeling. You are all amazing at what you do, and it is such an honour to donate these images.”
Thanks to further funding, and the ability to provide more services, an extension is being planned for the CDC which will see two additional services hosted at the site, including fixed and permanent MRI and CT scans (instead of the movable vans currently used) as well as DEXA and Children's Audiology. These additional services are expected to welcome more than 190 additional patients per week, further enhancing the region’s diagnostic and testing capacity.
Health and Social Care Minister Stephen Kinnock said: “This is a state-of-the-art facility that will mean faster tests, quicker results and more convenient care for patients across Derbyshire.
“Community Diagnostic Centres all over England are cutting waiting lists, bringing vital services closer to home, and ensuring the NHS is there for people when they need it most.
“This is our Plan for Change in action - delivering centres like this are key to our promise to rebuild the NHS and make it fit for the future.”
Other organisations thanked for their support during the build include AHP (architects), DC Scott Electrical, Masefields Mechanical Building Services, Novo (mechanical electrical design consultants) JTP (architects) and EP Consultants.