New Community Diagnostic Centres (CDC) in the heart of Scunthorpe and Grimsby will be opening in March.
The first patients will be welcomed to the £19.4 million centre on Lindum Street, Scunthorpe, from w/c 3 March, followed by the £10 million unit in Grimsby’s Freshney Place Shopping Centre during w/c 10 March.
Together, these new centres will mean Humber Health Partnership can deliver up to 300,000 additional diagnostic tests every year, affording patients greater choice and flexibility as well as reducing the need to come to hospital sites.
Staffed by expert clinicians, the centres will offer a range of diagnostic tests, helping the NHS detect more serious conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and respiratory conditions, sooner.
NHS Humber Health Partnership Group Chief Strategy and Partnerships Officer, Ivan McConnell, said: “These centres will help to make a significant difference to patients across northern Lincolnshire, providing additional appointments in easily accessible locations.
“Not only will patients no longer have to come to our busy hospital sites for these tests, but the centres will also provide greater flexibility, with early morning, evening, and weekend appointments available. In order to offer these additional services, we have already recruited additional expert clinical staff for these new centres, some of which will also rotate between the centres and providing acute care in our hospitals.
“Another benefit of providing these additional appointments away from our hospital sites is that it frees up clinicians working in our hospitals to care for patients requiring acute care, reducing the amount of time inpatients need to wait for diagnostic tests – and, of course, with fewer people coming to our hospitals there will also be less demand for parking too.
“We have also been very deliberate in siting these two new Community Diagnostic Centres in the heart of the town centres of Grimsby and Scunthorpe, helping to drive more people into these areas and support local businesses.”
The successful business cases for the new CDCs were developed by colleagues working together as part of the Humber and North Yorkshire Collaboration of Acute Providers (CAP).
The CAP is a partnership that brings together NHS Trusts which deliver services across the region – Humber Health Partnership, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals, and Harrogate District – with the collective ambition of ensuring better health for people in Humber and North Yorkshire and better care for patients.
Wendy Scott, CAP Managing Director, said: “We are thrilled to see these two new CDCs go live. They form part of a programme of eight, spanning all corners of our region, that are being delivered by the CAP.
“These successful bids – supported by all the Trusts – are a major step forward for Humber and North Yorkshire as a whole and are another home-grown example of how this collaboration continues to make a positive difference.”
Helen Kenyon, NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) Place Director for North East Lincolnshire, said: “I’m delighted that these centres are now ready to receive patients – it will have such a positive impact on healthcare in our region.”
Alex Seale, North Lincolnshire Place Director, NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB, added: “Once up and running, if you go to your GP and they feel you need to undergo a diagnostic test, they will refer you on and will be in touch to book a mutually convenient appointment.
“While some patients with more complex needs will still need to come to hospital, most people will be able to have these tests done at the CDC. If you need more than one test, the NHS will also work with you to try and arrange for you to have all your tests done on the same day, wherever this is possible.”
Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “This is great news for North Lincolnshire residents and another positive note for the High Street with 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 which will drive more people into the town centre for more reasons.”
Cllr Philip Jackson, leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “This is a great new facility providing convenient healthcare for our residents in the centre of town.
“The addition of the CDC sees Freshney Place become a real multipurpose location, in the heart of Grimsby, where people can come not only for appointments, but also to have the convenience of being able to access the local shops and facilities at the same time.”
Cllr Stan Shreeve, Deputy Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council and Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, added: “Being able to offer a service such as this will make such a difference to local people who will have even more opportunities to be able to access care to detect serious illnesses.
“Situated within an accessible location such as Freshney Place could make a significant difference to patients being able to access appointments in a more convenient way, whilst also relieving pressures on the hospital. I am pleased our town centre is able to provide such a facility and I am delighted to see it opening.”
Additional information
The following tests will be available at Scunthorpe CDC:
- X Ray
- Non-obstetric ultrasound
- CT (available from late March)
- MRI (available from late March)
- Lung function
- Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring
- Cardiac monitoring
- ECG
- FeNo
- Spirometry
- Phlebotomy (blood tests)
The following tests will be available at Grimsby CDC:
- X Ray
- Non-obstetric ultrasound
- Bone density scanning
- Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring
- Cardiac monitoring
- ECG
- Echocardiogram
- Phlebotomy (blood tests)
*An Opthalmology service will also be housed in the centre but will open later this year.