WORK has begun on a new community diagnostic centre that will provide essential NHS diagnostic tests to thousands of people in Cornwall and help to save and improve lives.

The new community diagnostic centre (CDC) will be based on the Camborne Redruth Community Hospital site and is due to open later this year.

It will offer people tests sooner and closer to home, giving patients either peace of mind or treatment at an earlier stage in their illness.

The CDC will provide a range of diagnostic tests for local people, including x-rays, MRI and CT scans, phlebotomy (blood tests) and respiratory checks, as well as ECGs (a test to check your heart’s electrical activity) and endoscopies (a test to look inside your body using a small camera).

The CDC is a partnership between NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board and InHealth, the UK’s largest specialist provider of diagnostic solutions.

InHealth is already providing MRI, CT and endoscopy services from state-of-the-art mobile facilities in the area. It is expected that around 75,000 patients a year will benefit from the services offered at the permanent Redruth site.

MRI scan room similar to the one planned as part of the new Redruth CDC.
MRI scan room similar to the one planned as part of the new Redruth CDC (NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board)

NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly chief nursing officer, Susan Bracefield, said: “We are excited to be opening another new community diagnostic centre for Cornwall, which is part of our investment into delivering more services closer to people’s homes, which we know local people want.

“Last year more than 96,000 tests such as MRI scans, blood tests and ultrasounds were carried out at our CDCs in Bodmin and Penzance, giving patients easier and quicker access to important scans and tests.

“This new centre at Redruth will mean even more patients can benefit from tests closer to home and a shorter wait for diagnosis and perhaps treatment.”

Geoff Searle, InHealth chief executive said: “This is an exciting milestone in the South West CDC programme and we’re delighted to be working in partnership with NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board to create this new centre.

“Expanding this model of healthcare in the South West region will bring real benefits to patients in the local area and continue to improve health outcomes through increased range, scale and accessibility of services for the local population.

“InHealth has been working in partnership with the NHS for more than 30 years, with more than 20 existing community diagnostic centres in England and three already up and running in the South West, so we’re delighted to continue expanding this model across the country.”

To ensure easy and convenient access, the hospital site already benefits from good public transport links and 22 new parking bays will be provided.

The new centre in Redruth, which is on a former brewery site on Foundry Row, becomes one of five new state-of-the-art community diagnostic centres (CDCs) across the South West.

Cornwall already has two community diagnostic centres which are located in Bodmin and at the West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance.